Elsewhere
November 14th, 2008
I came up for the general idea for this last night. I was moving between rooms and saw the remnants of a cut-out silhouette on my work table. I randomly picked it up and put it against a gessoed panel that I had out and liked the way it looked. I fiddled with it occasionally whenever I happened back in the room. And then before bed, I grabbed my sketchbook and was drawing and began to play with sketches that looked somewhat like this one. I was imagining a woman's thoughts being elsewhere, so I'm calling it "Elsewhere." It's about 6"x6" with acrylic, collage, and ink on a cradled wood panel.
Today in Soul Coaching was all about gratitude and I really enjoyed this focus. In the morning I woke up with a migraine. Denise Linn suggests turning around the things you don't feel grateful for and finding the parts that you are grateful for. So, I took my feeling of annoyance at my migraine and turned it around to feeling grateful that my migraine had woken me up early enough to get up and then come back to bed where I enjoyed an especially sweet snuggle with the hubster and my cat, Sadie. Then I turned around my feelings about the gloomy weather into a feeling of gratitude that I was inside, warm, cozy and dry. It's so good to remember the things we're grateful for and I am incredibly grateful for my life. I'm one blessed girl, I'll tell ya.
Well, the hubster is home from work, so I'm off for now. Hope you all have an amazingly creative weekend!
24 Responses
Blessed be
Posted by: Genie Sea | Nov 14, 2008 at 6:43 pm |
Leah–for some reason this image really resonates with me! flying away….
Posted by: aurora fox | Nov 14, 2008 at 7:15 pm |
Oh I love the black birds and the twirly ribbon. Beautiful!
a.
Posted by: Andie | Nov 14, 2008 at 7:40 pm |
love. this.
Posted by: bridgette | Nov 14, 2008 at 8:25 pm |
Leah – I love the way you capture intangible ideas in your art. (I think Lighthouse is particularly gorgeous, by the way.)
What do you mean by a cradled wood panel? And do you make your own?
Posted by: Steve | Nov 14, 2008 at 8:32 pm |
I really like this. I especially like the birds.
Posted by: sarah | Nov 14, 2008 at 8:41 pm |
I want this painting! I need to have this painting! I want this painting! I need to have this painting! I want this painting! I need to have this painting!!!
(Email me..twitter me…something…we got to talk about this!)
Peace & Love.
Posted by: Connie | Nov 14, 2008 at 8:42 pm |
Leah, I love how the birds symbolizes her mind being elsewhere, and the curly lines connecting them to her. Beautiful.
Posted by: Marie | Nov 14, 2008 at 8:54 pm |
I really like this image, perhaps because my thoughts are often “elsewhere”. I am working on staying in the moment more! Congratulations on seeing the gratitude in your migraine. Gratitude is truly everywhere – I think we all just need to “see” it more. Happy weekend!
Posted by: Maree | Nov 14, 2008 at 9:09 pm |
beautiful. have a lovely weekend!
Posted by: joanna goddard | Nov 14, 2008 at 9:29 pm |
I LOVE the way you do birds! I’m such a sucker for blackbirds.
Posted by: autumn | Nov 14, 2008 at 9:59 pm |
I love the contrast of the light and dark in this piece. It’s very beautiful.
Posted by: Nicole | Nov 14, 2008 at 10:02 pm |
You never cease to amaze me! ~Sara
Posted by: Sara Moriarty | Nov 14, 2008 at 11:44 pm |
i lovelovelove this. I also love the synchronicity in you and I both creating totally different pieces but with black silhouettes of birds down the left hand side….
Posted by: mizannie | Nov 14, 2008 at 11:45 pm |
Leah, all your pieces are just so filled with magical symbolism. Very beautiful work. You have a wonderful weekend, too!
Posted by: Serena Pia | Nov 15, 2008 at 12:09 am |
Oh Leah – this piece took my breath away when I opened up your blog. I absolutely love it. In fact, it gave me tingles.
Your work always inspires me so much. Thank you for sharing your gift! I hope you have a wonderful weekend too –
xo
Posted by: megg | Nov 15, 2008 at 4:10 am |
wow. as always. gorgeous.
Posted by: leaca | Nov 15, 2008 at 5:30 am |
Once again your painting is inspirational. It makes one ponder. Hugs from Desire
Posted by: Desire Fourie | Nov 15, 2008 at 6:19 am |
Grateful here too! What a nice positive post to read on a gloomy morning here. I love this. Birds keep popping up in my art too. This just reminds me so much of my own little Pajama Girl. She has always wanted to fly like a bird, her thoughts and wishes to fly are always there…”Elsewhere” from where she is. I tell her to keep flying in her imagination and see where it takes her.
Posted by: Karen Mowrey | Nov 15, 2008 at 7:26 am |
I loved that you were able to turn your day around. I hope you had a lovely day with your husband. Thank you for sharing what you were grateful for and for the image that you painted – just beautiful! Blessings, Nicole x
Posted by: Nicole | Nov 15, 2008 at 9:04 am |
I love the symbolism in your work — and the shadow.
Posted by: Helen | Nov 15, 2008 at 2:47 pm |
This is beautiful. Meaningful and wistful.
Posted by: rowena | Nov 15, 2008 at 7:59 pm |
love the art and the gratitude! amazing stuff!
Posted by: lucy | Nov 15, 2008 at 10:55 pm |
Leah,
this is a beautiful piece. i love the colors!
Posted by: Shelley Kommers | Nov 16, 2008 at 3:39 am |