Inspired by the memory of Vincent yesterday I spent the afternoon in my studio painting alone and thinking of all those struggling in isolation in hospitals around the world without their loved ones beside them. They are always in my thoughts. “What would life be” Vincent wrote, “if we had no courage to attempt anything.” The courage, sacrifice and love of so many will be the lasting inspiration and memory of our time. With this bouquet I thank and honour them all.
Art
darkness and light
This painting from a few years ago seems now quite unintentionally to capture the times we are living through with hope and light expressed in the colours battling the surrounding swirling darkness, as petals fall. Tell me I’m wrong and it’s just another lovely bouquet.
“reflections and thanks” revisited
I posted this photograph six years ago today in response to The Weekly Photo Challenge that so many of us used to be part of. Given how we are all supporting each other in the blogosphere, the world’s safest place to practice social distancing during these challenging times, my thanks today are for all the heroes and heroines working so hard to save us all.
The photo was taken early one summer’s evening from the Youth Hostel in Cortona, Italy and shows the bells of the Chiesa del Torreone reflected in our bedroom window with Lake Trasimeno seen shimmering in the distance; a moment of pure magic.
My little watercolour shows reflections in the window of another Italian youth hostel in Finale Ligure, the magnificent Castello Vuillerman, recorded in my Journal on July 2, 1999. We’ll never forget climbing the more than three hundred steps, with packs on our backs, to the Castello where the view of the city, seen in this window reflection, was well worth the climb.
I hope this raises your spirits just a little. Be well and stay safe.
thank heavens for FaceTime
Painted for my beautiful granddaughter’s nursery.
Today it is dedicated to all the Lions and Lionesses out there fighting for us all.
Pooh’s palette
Painted in 1986 after a visit to New York and inspired by seeing the works of
Willem de Kooning and the Abstract Espressonits Expressionists.
saying thank you
Pooh paints the park
Pacific Spirit Regional Park today as painted by Pooh who is now staying home.
that’s what friends are for
a painting a day
A bouquet for the first day of spring…
…but also to say thank you to all my friends, colleagues, nurses, students, residents and indeed all the health care workers here in British Columbia and around the world who are on the front line working so hard to keep us all safe. They are heroes all and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
But our hearts are also broken to know of those who are losing their lives every day as I send my condolences to all their grieving families around the world.
To help ease the pain we are all feeling and to give some purpose to my self-isolation my plan now is to post either a new or sometimes older painting each day during these difficult times, inspired by my WordPress friend Kelly who started a Daily Dose of Beauty yesterday on her wonderful CompassAndCamera blog to help us “feel and understand our shared humanity.” Thank you Kelly for inspiring us all with your words and photos.
Stay safe and well everyone.
music and art, the universal healers
Inspired by those quarantined in their apartments in Italy who have been singing and playing instruments to each other from their balconies, and being the complete Italophile that I am, I selected some of my favorite paintings today that followed various memorable Italian holidays to share in solidarity with this inspiring Italian community musical support.
Thank you also to two great Symphony Orchestras who are broadcasting tonight and tomorrow to let their music bring us together in these difficult times. To quote first from the Seattle Symphony: “Seattle Symphony will continue to share our music through free video rebroadcasts and live-streams to help provide strength, comfort and joy to our community here in Seattle and around the world.”
And secondly from The Vancouver Symphony who will broadcast live tomorrow afternoon Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony: “Music and the arts are the heart of our community. We are facing unprecedented times and we need music now more than ever. In the last few days we have seen a global philosophical ‘coming together’ in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. Ironically, it’s precisely in times of crisis that the human spirit is compelled to come together. The word Symphony in fact means coming together. As such, tomorrow afternoon Maestro Tausk and the musicians of the VSO invite you to come together with us in a virtual finale to BeethovenFest. At 2:00 pm we will livestream Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony “Pastorale” direct from the Orpheum. This is our gift of gratitude to you during this challenging time.”
Details can be found on their web pages.
I hope this will uplift your spirits as much as it has mine.
thechangingpalette 