‘Understanding’ Autumn seedheads & grasses-Meadow Painting

Title:          Understanding

Size:          100cm x 150cm (39.5”x59”)on 4cm deep profile canvas.

Medium;    Acrylic & OIls on Canvas

About this painting: ‘Understanding’ is large statement piece painting in warm tones of golds & ambers. Swaying autumnal grasses with Phlomis seed heads, Gaur & lilac Salvias intermingle in a wild tangle. It is a very warm & welcoming painting  which creates an evocative focal point in a room & generates feelings of well being & comfort.

Created as the final days of an Indian Summer faded into winter. Over the 3 weeks it took to paint the meditative process of painting gave me answers to many questions.
As I got immersed & lost in brushstrokes & colours, life kept throwing interruptions at me with things I found frustrating & petty annoyances I really didn’t have the time for. I kept being pulled away from what I wanted to be doing, to just get lost in my painting.

People drifted in & out with needs & problems for me to solve, questions to answer, needs to be met. Over time I found myself feeling drained & tired as I got sucked in.

Then there was a day when, one by one, lovely women popped by. With them came soft positive energy, inspiring conversation & nurturing feelings. Instantly, my energy rose & I found myself smiling & a lightness of spirit.

Looking back at these few weeks, I realised that the way I feel is all about understanding how different people & behaviours impact me. Tuning in to that understanding often helps me to make decisions & affect what I choose to do.

As I’ve learnt to listen more carefully, over the years, to my inner understanding of what is going on for me, I find I can get away from negative thoughts or feelings very quickly.

Those who drain me are kept at arms length & those who bring sunshine with them embraced with open arms. I also move away from things which are unrewarding & time consuming if I understand my motivation for doing them in the first place.

It means that more of my life holds joy & contentment & the things which drain me are potted up into short bursts when I really can’t avoid them.

So there you go, the process of creating one of my paintings always brings me useful gifts which add to my wee being. Now, as I look at the completed piece, the warm golds & ambers fill me with warmth. Every seed head I see carries a knowing smile & a positive thought.