Sunday, September 25, 2011

Trusting In The Process & All That Comes With It...

Young Madonna

A year ago I told Artist Sophie Frieda that I wanted her to teach me how to paint in oils, when she asked what subjects appealed to me? What did I want to paint? I told her "Madonnas."

 I've been drawn to images of "The Mother," "Divine Feminine, " "Theotokos," or The Feminine Face Of God" for many, many years, and realized that this longing needed to be explored through art, so when Sophie agreed to teach me the principles of oil painting - I knew that once I understood some of the basic techniques I would try my hand at something that has been calling to me for as long as I can remember.

Above is my first finished Madonna.

She took a long time to complete.  On some days I found myself quite productive and made significant advances, and yet at other times,,, I  found myself frustrated and grudgingly having to wipe off all the paint that I'd carefully applied, because I knew that I'd "lost the plot" as it were in those precious two hours of class.  Leaving me wondering if I'd bitten off more than I could chew.

 Deep down though, I knew she was there, as if waiting in the wings to make her appearance.  Deep down, I trusted that when the time was right - even if I had to go a hundred times to class and paint nothing else, she would eventually appear to me and come through me,  I knew that it was my job to be patient, and allow myself the luxury of time to learn as much as I could about the process of painting a portrait AND to trust that everything was just as it should be...

One night before a class, I had a dream, and in it the Young Madonna spoke to me and said "I am ready to be completed."

The next day in class, I told Sophie about my dream.  She listened intently then gave me more encouragement and tips to work on the eyes, as they were and I believe are the key to making a painting work or not work... I'd spent class after class trying to make the eyes "see" and have expression They were the most difficult part of the painting with out a doubt.  Sophie popped off to make tea for the two of us, and I studied my Madonna and told myself that I would finish her today.  I picked up my brush and began painting...

Ten minutes later I stepped away from the easel, Sophie entered the studio with two cups of tea, and excitedly I asked her to come and look....  "You Did It!!!"  she exclaimed "you've figured out the eyes," and I had, I knew it..., my Madonna was complete.

I felt as if I'd given birth to a living person..., she's her own being..., she doesn't look like anyone I know, and I  feel a sense of love and pride for her...I am joyful in the fact that I've been able to bring her into the world... something I hadn't thought was possible - until recently...

Now she hangs on our wall at home, and in the weeks since I brought her home, I've been asked by various folks, friends, family if she was painted by me?  When I tell them "Yes", people are surprised then pay great compliments and tell me I'm an artist...

You know what's funny?  Until this particular creative endeavor I would have talked people out of their compliments by saying "oh no, its not that good," or "this or that's wrong with it," or "I'm not an artist!"

I've noticed that I'm not alone in this behavior,  many people, especially women tend to react like this when being complimented about their creativity.

 One of my favorite authors and storytellers,  Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes  talks about this very thing in her book "Seeing In The Dark," Myths, Stories To Reclaim The Buried, Knowing, Woman.   She talks about how to reclaim our creativity, and that when we create we are listening to the "psychic nudges to get us to unfurl," so that we can become what we came here to be... and yet we often sabotage and put down our creations, as she says "Perfection is the enemy of done."  She urges people not to go unconscious in response to our work as others are watching and listening to us and seeing how we act... such as our children, our family and our friends.  That instead of continuing the cycle of negativity about personal expression we can become "exemplars," for each other and know that "the world will be poorer without our creativity in it."

So yes,  I am learning how to paint in oils, and as important if not more, I am allowing the goodness and kindness of peoples words into my heart and it feels so right.

Thank you.

Love,

Neinah


LET THE BEAUTY OF WHAT YOU LOVE BE WHAT YOU DO

RUMI






Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Taking Time For Tea (& Friends.)

Warm scones (Gluten Free) from the oven (recipe following,) freshly made blackberry jam, delicate cucumber sandwiches and an abundance of piping hot tea (Earl Grey please!) = Perfection when combined with the company of a couple of special friends.

Funny how tea tastes better from little china cups and saucers

Real friends are like food and water - essential.  You know, sometimes I wonder where I would be without them.  I have quite a few "friends," but just a handful of "Real" friends...  They are the people in my life that stay with me through thick and thin... who watch me say and do wonderful things and support me, and who watch me say and do silly things and support me, note the use of the word "support" and not "judge?"  Another way I'm able to recognize a real friend is by how I feel in their company... I simply feel better, more energized, inspired, happier, good about myself  I perk up like a bunch of flowers in a vase after getting a helping of cool, fresh, well water -  I stand straighter.

Too much time had passed since I'd visited with these dear friends - almost the whole summer (how did that happen?)  So easy to fix though - I sent an email invite, and put the kettle on - ITS THAT EASY!

Whats holding you back from making time to have TWF (Tea With Friends?) 

Love these quotes:-

"She is a friend of mind. She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order. It's good, you know, when you got a woman who is a friend of your mind."
~ Toni Morrison

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing... not healing, not curing... that is a friend who cares. 
~ Henry Nouwen

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship. 
~ Thomas Aquinas


Want the recipe for these scones?  So easy...
(make vegan by just substituting with your favorite alternative milk, shortening and egg.)

Ingredients:

21/2 Cups of your favorite Gluten Free flour blend

1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder

4 Tablespoons of Butter

2/3 Cup of Milk

1/3 Cup of Sugar

1 Large egg, beaten

1/2 Cup of extra tasty bits e.g chopped apricots, or raisins, cranberry & white chocolate (tasty combo)
                                            chopped toasted walnuts & choc. chips, orange zest and dark choc. chunks..
                                            the list goes on..., but you get the idea - get creative!!!

Method:-

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine egg and milk, beat together.

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar.  Rub the butter into the flour mixture until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.  (or if you have a food processor zip zip whiz for a couple of seconds.)

Add the egg/milk mix to the flour mix , stir well, add your extra nuts fruit, chocolate etc...

Mix well, and spoon a heap a generous tablespoons worth of mix onto the cookie sheet - there should be enough mix for approx. 9 scones.

Bake for approx. 15 minutes (should look a little toasty brown on top.)

After baking allow to cool for 15 minutes.

ENJOY




Sunday, September 18, 2011

A New Blog - Welcome...

Welcome to Neinah's Nest...

Its the end of one season and the beginning of another, and I am filling my spare time with the rituals that signal summer's departure - blackberry and huckleberry picking, then making into jam.  Clearing spent flowers from the garden beds... bringing fall colors from the outside in -  think gourds and pumpkins, rose hips... the last of the dahlias... strings of brightly colored chili peppers... apple spice scented candles... delightful ways to enhance the senses, and make the nest more cozy as the nights close in...

These deeply embedded rituals make the turning of the season easier - embracing the goodness and  abundance in nature makes the transition of leaving summer and stepping into Autumn more joyful..., creative and meaningful.


A Bowl of Delicately Flavored Huckleberries

Flame Colored Dahlias and Apple Spice Votives Burn Brightly Together

Mouthwatering Chilis Inspire New Recipes 


As I move through the seasons, I will be bringing recipes, thoughts and ideas, poetry, art and all things good that move and inspire me to create and to blog...

I look forward to meeting you here.

XO,

Neinah