Holy Ground and Jagged Edges (another double scoop)

Holy Ground

"Holy Ground" and "Jagged Edges", mixed media on wood panel (plywood, uncradled) each 10" x 8".  Available here and at Artfinder.

​​And it is often in the jagged edges of experience we refuse to pick up that the mystical strength of all human experience waits.  In truth, any sliver of glass or broken dream will do to puncture our illusions.  There, we will stumble on holy ground.  -MARK NEPO, The Exquisite Risk

There have been some jagged edges in the last few weeks.  And it is so tempting not to pick them up.  Wouldn't we rather sink into pajama days filled with coconut ice cream and Netflix?  Maybe.  But later on we will be glad (so glad) if instead we slayed the dragon of illusion and found the real deal waiting on the other end of a broken dream.

Now that's a lot of heavy lifting for a Thursday during a normal week, let alone one riddled with masks and hand sanitizer and protest signs.  Which calls to mind something my dad used to say to me whenever life heaped manure on top of the sweet smelling rose bushes - find the joy in every day.

The gist of that was this: there is joy in everything, even the stinky stuff.  And it is important, maybe even vital, to grab that joy and stuff it in your pocket without guilt or hesitation.   It is absolutely ok to smile and feel good​ for a moment in the midst of the other stuff.   

So let me ask, dear reader, what will you put in your joy pocket today?  My pocket is crammed with a 7 lb chihuahua  and a handful of air-fried cremini mushrooms (yum).  Leave a comment below and said chihuahua will select a winner at random to receive a tiny piece of original art.  Because YOU, dear reader, make every day sparkly for me. :)

Jagged Edges

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​About the art:  continued small studies in color palettes from the e-course last month.  Acrylic heaped on collage with scraper and brush and rubber wedge and fingers.   This week I am painting with Princeton Catalyst Polytip brushes, which are oooooooooh la la for a girl who likes stiff but responsive, nearly indestructible brushes.  These pieces were finished with a touch of oil pastel and a sprinkling of fairy dust.