Art for me has become a way of life, it involves the whole process complex, of visual communications,some talent, loads of inquisitive creative ability, manual skill (no one does the work unless you do it) and technical knowledge. Aesthetic (the eye for looking at anything and bringing out its beauty) and economics (who knew I would have to make lists of paintings/amount giving them value to the numbers I didn't even know how to pronounce! and also do valuation of art in terms of money) technology and psychology and so so much more.
As an artist the best part of my life has been to wake up being surrounded by symbols and beautiful art. They are my respite from tired days and confusing life moments, art always and always takes me to another realm, that of perfection, fantasy and magic.
Artist/painters as we know would go hungry but not part with their opportunities to make more art. The journey no doubt has been a really beautiful one of self realization, setting my priorities straight and taking charge of my life, owning my life.
On the process of making myself a healing artist if I make some money, well and good, if ...the world has always never understood art by most artists.
I saw a video on You Tube, Van Gogh, uploaded by Tate shots, what a wonderful feeling it is to see the sunflowers(which they are actually not even sunflowers) and the world when they see this artwork know it is A Van Gogh! A distinct style, its wide spread in forms of prints and free print outs where even the Top restaurants and hotels display boasting of a Van Gogh, where they do not even have any authenticity certificate or any connection to where it was purchased from. Immense viral spread of art and immediate recognition of the artist, was this his aim, and if yes, he did achieve it really well. It is well known that in those times Van Gogh would explain his art but no one understood. he still continued to follow his own style and made art. Another insight was he began his career at his thirties and his total career span was less than twenty years. In this period he wrote letters to his brother Theo, he made paintings, he was in mental asylum. He continued with his vision.
Art progresses over time. Like a pickle that needs the time of marination and time to bring out the perfect taste, so is art.
leading us to the Title, we do not just become a butterfly over night.
While I began with cubism, and influence family, home, window and yet till now these small artworks bring out nostalgic sweet memories.
Techniques, skill were on primitive level, with me but the joy was immense. you can never explain how happy you are when you paint your first painting, no words to express and then as you paint another and another, they lead you to feelings of ecstasy. you feel you are the best!. Every person feels they are good artist if they can copy and paint a landscape.
You will be spoilt for choice, with over load of ideas, so much art everywhere, so much, really too much. Where is the time to sit and stare.. has art lost its charm in this fast paced world? reading the poem again "Leisure" by Henry Davies, childhood memories still bring nostalgia of abandoned joy and freedom.
Look on Facebook, Instagram,Twitter, Tumblr, Linkedin, Fine art America, not to mention the umpteen art selling websites, online art galleries who assemble artists and display their art working for a commission on sales. Art exhibitions that are required to prove to the world you are a professional artist.
I had till now kept the letters, those that I had applied to art galleries, year 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003. the courteous replies of refusing gallery space. Now tore them, moving ahead was in fact the best part the Universe did for me then and now! That took me on the inner journey of obsessively painting, it was a long journey bad will continue finding out aim, statement, mission, or anything else didn't matter, only what mattered was painting, going with the flow. No suggestions, no idea sharing, no guidance, no viewings, no sales, only pure art.
The first symbol coming up was hesitant, Yes, I painted simply strokes, the sincere Reiki Master I did lines that would later on become forms of meanings in my life and my mission to spread healing.
Those meaningless lines Dadaism, it never occurred to me that symbols were the complete forms. Dabbling into various techniques like abstract, cubism, lines, pointillism, all that was taught in school art class. I don't know if I would have studied art if I would have been a different artist, I also don't know whether the struggle it took for me to learn about colours, steps in process of making art, art procedures, painting techniques, drying of artworks, storing or artworks, twenty years.. whether all this would have come automatically from studying art and being with other artists way back then only...I really don't know.. would I have found my voice earlier...
This much I know is that the inner journey has been a hell of a ride and I enjoyed the process. And yes, had I thought about painting for selling at the beginning of my art career, way back year 2000, I wouldn't have had so much satisfaction at present now. Money maybe would have been made by selling artworks, but the whole process, the road might have been a totally different one.
It is the process that matters, it really matters.
Anyone can make art, can paint a few paintings, but the process matters, the journey matters..
including you with these thoughts, do you hear me on this? share!
As for the butterfly, here is a life changing thing that happened in my garden seventeen years back. There were so many eggs, that the beautiful butterflies that I would/do believe as angels somehow had taken over my garden. The larvae and then the caterpillars have voracious appetite and they just keep on eating till they go into the stage of forming a cocoon. And not so much a beautiful sight as I don't like wriggly creatures!
As I closely kept observing this life cycle for the first time so closely as it was in my Terrace garden, this somehow connected me to giving birth to a new life. the process was always working up in nature, nothing is ever still. Its always moving progressing, even when we never see anything much physically immediately. Terrace garden has given me so much experience with seeing the other world. birds have been saved, parrots have taken to my home ruling my life and pigeons found food always on the garden, so also I did feed crows by my hand, watch this video on you Tube channel the Red Pilgrim! The first fluttering of baby pigeon, Alexandrine Parrot Mitthin, I also did remove the threads tangled up in her feet as well as a white pigeon who had been with me since then for a year or more staying on our window sill. People hardly hardly realize when they throw hair, threads out of the windows, that these get tangled in feet of birds and they die, imagine both feet tangled they cannot fly... the process was difficult, to hold the bird and delicately to cut off the threads loos. I couldn't save the white pigeon's leg, it had developed swelling till I found him, but the removal of thread let the blood flow and in a day I saw that the dead part of leg fell off and he lived, it was pure joy, to save a life. There was also the pigeon who was sick, My husband a Doctor would warn me of bird diseases, but I couldn't let them die in front of me, had to feed them. And most times in life it is that the little push is required. the person does pick themselves up just with a little encouragement, and if I can I do it!If you can, then do it! Do the little bit for some one, anyone, it will give you immense joy. They would be buried with due respect if they left for heavenly abode in my garden. I have seen the struggle, the death, as a pigeon left...the eyes they just wish someone could save them...some one would educe the struggle... all you can do is pray for easy soul Passover. I have cried for unknown birds and unknown creature deaths. Not that it mattered to anyone. I still do bless these birds and the dead plants who have played an important part in my journey.
The big monarch butterfly, so rare and beautiful. Very large ones. I had screamed my life out when the finger thick caterpillars, twice I saw them, had strolled along in our bedroom, bringing messages from the Universe, symbolism of caterpillar coming your way, about change, progression. tetramorphic progression of new life coming my way.
The pupa, cocoons of sticky spongy larvae, wriggling is amazing to watch. It is the real struggle. you can feel it. It is a process with assistance of only self energy and your genes, you come out beautifully.
while they came out majestically there was one that didn't fully come out. Others, they flew so happily and the mother/father, yes, I observed how this big butterfly orange, black and white patterned, would be there everyday, she did two or three rounds and maybe slept there, I do not know this, as if checking on her babies. The one did bring me also in this loop of inspiring to move on. So now me and the mamma were on watch for the babies, had to fly away birds who feed on insects, rats, eagles, hawks, crows, pigeons,sparrows, all these birds waiting for food.
It didn't come out, it was half way out, now as I read about these cocoons opening up to butterflies I understood that the push , the process itself brings blood to their wings and thus they fly. I tried to assist it, it was stuck and didn't make it, by evening the butterfly so alive yet stuck up in the cocoon half way, was a pity sight and I couldn't sleep...the next day another struggle came up, the butterfly had struggled for a day and another new day had come up now. You realize sometimes there is nothing you can do. But your try. so I tried, the wing tore a bit but it did come out, the fluid is very sticky. I wondered whether it will be handicapped for life? going into deep thoughts of the future of this butterfly, will it be able to fly? how will the mother butterfly who was observing take care of this baby butterfly who is imperfect and the rest healthy ones flew away?clicked its photo, I didn't have the confidence then as I have now about helping and caring for pets, birds.
I felt so guilty as if I had made a mistake, in assisting the butterfly. Maybe it would have come out on its own, but then all the others had flown, this was taking time, so much time. the mother would now watch for far and not even come close to the one. Another pangs of guilt came over that because of my viewing the butterfly the mother is not coming close by, but then momma trusted me way back then with her eggs! and would fly in front of me for the time span, the whole process.
All this came to an end, a life end, in one and a half day, the butterfly by early afternoon left it...only the wings remained...fed upon by maybe a bird, ants do the rest of cleaning up. The wings were soft, delicate, light, so beautiful, just a little imperfect...
Humans are different ,we can, encourage, we can assist, we can motivate others with simple gestures. We are the most evoked species on earth and we have our brains that are masterpieces. We can do our bit!
If I have not answered your email query about feng shuii of life energy, hanging paintings for best results, symbolism behind your artwork, guidance within three days I am sorry, I do try my best to assist each one of you. And most of you have to repeat your mail, "Mam please answer, it means a lot", yes I do understand, and Thank you so much for your love and blessings! I would also suggest that you look up my Google blogs on Feng Shui Simple Cures Obsessed Over Stones, and Razarts, The Red Pilgrim as most answers can be found in my posts, that would surely reduce my work load! Of course personal Feng Shuii and Reiki healing guidance I will surely give out, you are welcome to email me!
would I choose a different art journey, maybe an easier one? never!
Have a Great Day Your's the Red Pilgrim
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The painting in this post Give Me Back My Butterfly! abstraction, vibrant colours, confidence, joy, Reiki symbols! A beautiful vibrant coloured Reiki symbol abstract painting for confidence and joy!
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