My life has been tossed upside down this month. After a lot of bumps and ups and downs I’m taking steps to know myself better. And as a result I’m on my own for awhile on a journey of self realization.
This big leap into the next phase of my life has inspired a new series of paintings. Last week as my show, Red Shoes, wrapped, and the realities of the next few months settled into place I turned to my trusty Triple Goddess Cards for insight.
I drew “The Journey Home” which resonated deeply with where I am currently. This card talks about the sacredness of the number seven and ecstasy of self realization, representing the Chariot from the traditional tarot. The card discusses the Seven Spheres of TranscenDance and I was immediately inspired to create a series of painting to kick off this time of exploration. In addition to discussing these seven spheres the card is linked to the ancient Bird Goddess. I have resonated with the medicine of birds for a long time and incorporating bird magic into this project felt like a perfect fit.
So for seven days I drew a card from my Bird Cards deck and listened deeply to the message of the card and created a painting. To further explore the vibration of each bird messenger I listened to the bird song while I painted. It was really soothing to paint to birds singing and I think it influenced how I worked. All of the messages I received were extremely inspiring and so I wanted to share each painting and its message with you.
Day 1: Nightingale
“Expressing the sheer joy of creating universe upon universe of wonder and miracles.” If you’ve ever had the joy of hearing a nightingale sing they are breathtaking. It calls straight to the heart and pierces the air with thrilling energy. Nightingale reminds us that through the power of love we have the ability to change anything. Here is the song I listened to while painting.
Day 2: Rooster
I was very worried when I drew the Rooster card because I was committed to listening to each birds song while I painted, and listening to a Rooster crow for several hours didn’t sound all that appealing. However, I was pleasantly surprised the find that the call of the Rooster was actually quite enjoyable to listen to. Rooster teaches us to Celebrate! To toot our own horn! To remember how magnificent we truly are. Let me know what you think of the Rooster’s song.
Day 3: Wren
Wren asks us to release old stories that no longer serve us. Wren tells us that it is our responsibility to choose joy, and that ultimately we have to have the confidence to follow what brings us joy and leave behind anything negative that is no longer serving us. To me the energy of this card was a soft sort of departure, not an abrupt letting go but to melt into the deep knowing inside our hearts, and that is what I hoped to capture with the colors and energy in the painting. Listen to the wren here.
Day 4: Blue Bird of Happiness
This bird stumped me for awhile because it’s not a real bird. Its an idea that represents the transcendent quality of bird medicine. Blue Bird of Happiness is an experience we all have inside of us, a knowing of joy and wholeness that resides in our hearts. Its that bursting feeling of joy that swells from the heart when we find ourselves in those peaceful, most serendipitous moments. Since the Blue Bird of Happiness isn’t a real creature I chose to listen to a loop of the mountain bluebird, which resides in the mountains above where I live in Boulder, CO.
Day 5: Raven
I also struggled with the Raven energy when I first drew the card. It spoke of pulling back the veil and revealing the truth that everything is interconnected. No imagery or colors came to me at first, but after meditating and resting I chose to paint by candlelight and chose colors that resonated deeply with me. Since I am one with all, the colors are also one with the Raven which may defy the usual associations people have the bird and its energy. In the end this became one of my favorite paintings in the series and I look forward to painting by candlelight again. Listen to Raven here.
Day 6: Swallow
Swallow reminds us to follow our inner path. Encoded in our hearts and minds is a map to greatness and joy. Swallow asks us to follow that path and trust where we end up, staying present and positive. I really enjoyed this painting. I felt like I found the rhythm of the shapes and colors with ease, and finally had a grasp of how to work with my paints of the metal canvases I ended up using. It feels so light and airy, perhaps a reflection of the bright and heartwarming chirp of the Swallow.
Day 7: Cuckoo
I loved the serendipity of this final bird messenger. Cuckoo signals a completion of a process and the dawning of a new life. It filled with such excitement and resolution to draw such a fitting card for the final day of this series. It really affirms the power of creating art in a meditative state. This final painting is like a bright sun shining and I found the song of the Cuckoo to be a joy to paint with.
I was a little sad for this series to come to an end and I am excited to come up with more meditative projects like this to complete in the future. All of these beautiful sphere paintings are looking for new homes to fill with their radiant vibrations. Message me for more details on that. Each painting is on a nifty metal sign as the canvas , and I’m beyond pleased with the result. They have a built in stand in the back for placing upon an altar or shelf, and can easily be hung on the wall. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Blessed Be.
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