- Published on
Strange Gods
"Strange Gods" - oil on clayboard panel, 14 x 18 inches (this item is sold unframed) Click on the image to purchase.
That I am I.
That my soul is a dark forest.
That my known self will never be more than a little clearing in the forest.
That gods, strange gods, come forth from the forest into the clearing of my known self, and then go back.
That I must have the courage to let them come and go.
- D.H. LAWRENCE
Strange gods come forth from the forest, the ocean, the prairie, the pond, the paint.
The visuals conjured by Lawrence's words are powerful to me. I've been spending a lot of time in the little clearing of my known self, reconciling with and learning to accept the strange gods that come and go.
That I am I.
That my soul is a dark forest.
That my known self will never be more than a little clearing in the forest.
That gods, strange gods, come forth from the forest into the clearing of my known self, and then go back.
That I must have the courage to let them come and go.
- D.H. LAWRENCE
Strange gods come forth from the forest, the ocean, the prairie, the pond, the paint.
The visuals conjured by Lawrence's words are powerful to me. I've been spending a lot of time in the little clearing of my known self, reconciling with and learning to accept the strange gods that come and go.
And one might think I am far too old to be wrestling with all of that.
Except that to stop investigating the clearing and the dark forest around it would be to stop - well, everything. Learning, growing, expanding, understanding, flowing. Certainly, creating would be come something less.
This piece is inspired from an outrageously beautiful sunset on the Oregon coast, a place where the odd gods are seemingly easier to understand.
Blogger and blog will be on an adventure for the remainder of the month, recharging and refilling the reservoir of inspiration. Look for a bevy of new work in June, the return of the monthly Reader Giveaway, and an announcement of one stellar show coming this summer!
Now onto this gem of a painting those clear blues! It amazes my how quickly you can shift gears on subject matter and how well you handle. It’ inspires me as a painter.
Strange Gods is STUNNING! I can feel all your years of painting experience in the bold and restrained here, the movement and stillness, the limited palette and the tiny pop of complementary pizzazz. Hot DAMN.