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"The Wind Whisperer" - mixed media on 300 lb watercolor paper, 22" x 15".  Earmarked for an upcoming exhibit at the Coral Springs Museum of Art.   Inquiries.

A different path today in the studio.  Allowing primitive symbols and animal spirits to chant and dance through the creation process.  A powerful bird totem as we head toward October and Halloween.  A guardian, I think.  Soaring on the high thermals; watching warily from the rooftop.  

Inspired by the work of the incredible Rick Bartow, who managed to use vivid, bright colors with weighty topics and somehow tease out a visceral response to the art.  At once modern and primitive, Bartow was a free spirit in his creations.

This piece is a paint over.  The layers of paint and collage underneath create a deeply wrinkled, aged texture which speaks of ancients and ruins and jungle explorers.  It makes me want to randomly create paintings just to paint on top to this effect!
The bird, the bird...feathered spirit guides appear in many forms.  Hawk, eagle, sparrow...as many as their are birds.  But what about birds in general?  They appear in many of my paintings - what do they mean?

Often, the appearance of a bird sends the message of emotional control and weathering hardship.  A symbol that you can do it - whatever it is challenging you right now.  Bird also means endings and beginnings, but not rushing to complete one and start the other.  Patience, right timing, waiting.  (The dreaded "P" WORD is how it's known in our house!  Patience is my husband's thing.  Not so much mine, though I am learning.)

Bird can mean to use your voice to bring hope...something as artists we hope to do with each brushstroke.  As humans, sharing our stories, using our voices to encourage - all are powerful bird energy.

With the wings of your bird spirit you can rise above hardship and adversity, separate yourself from worldly problems and enjoy lightness of being.

​And now, enough birdsong to fill your day!  
8 Comments
Dotty Seiter - 7 years ago
I'll comment tomorrow after I finish listening to tranquil birdsong …

hahaha!

Seriously, though, I could listen to that music endlessly.

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soaring on sweet high
thermals, breathing in textured
lessons of patience
jen - 7 years ago
Dotty! It's such a great (and lonnnnnnnnnnggggggg) recording! I just have it running all day.

Love the haiku....I need more textured lessons of patience, apparently. Sheesh! I am impatient to learn patience! ha ha!
Carl Stoveland - 7 years ago
I like that you go where your muse takes you with a painting and then have an amazing post always smart sometimes witty sometimes sad. You follow the muse right into your writing. Quite a gift you have my friend.
jen - 7 years ago
oooh thanks a bunch, Carl! It gets easier the more you do it...and then it becomes a regular adventure, because the muse never takes us anywhere boring, does she? Now I cannot WAIT to see where we're going each day!
Carol Edan - 7 years ago
Thanks for the link, really strong and emotional work! Your painting brings on strong emotions. As having a bird spirit (owl) thinking or hoping he/she will be watching over me. Also a bit scary... but will look him in the eye straight on!
jen - 7 years ago
It is an emotional piece...and a little scary, too! Like your owl...not everything that empowers us is sunny and bright! We need some fierce feathered mojo, too!
Sheila Delgado - 7 years ago
Love that Jen, fierce feathered mojo! Perfect. There is power in this! Love the recording, LOL some of them sound like they are laughing. Thanks for sharing. And thanks for the introduction to Rick. WOW :) What a gift this post!
jen - 7 years ago
Thank you, Sheila!!!!! Isn't Rick Bartow AMAZING?????? Cannot wait to see what this inspires in you...xo

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Lola Jovan

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