This Artist’s Dilemma

Faced with a president that I didn’t vote for and daily feeling emotions that are not healthy for my painting style, I decided to try something soft and pastel to soothe my mind and feelings. My friend, Christine Lovejoy, had posted a photo last summer of her peace rose and gave me permission to paint it. Perfect! A peace rose would help me focus on kinder thoughts and an open heart.

Nope, didn’t work out as I thought it would. Yes, my heart opened and out blasted the colors of a passionate mind, not a peaceful mind. When I had finished the painting I did feel better. The brush does not always do what the mind has planned.

The dilemma: edit the painting to be soft and peaceful as planned, or allow it to be what it is? On FIRE! My sister, Lucretia Donahue-Reed, an artist herself, simply said to let it be what it is. And so it is named “Kundalini Fire Rose” and is one of my favorite pieces. I suppose the real dilemma as an artist is allowing the full expression of my spirit, rather than smothering that spirit to fit what others expect. Growth came with a rose.

~ by chezchristineo on July 19, 2018.