Inner Life. . .

Still Life, Inner Life, o/c 16 x 20

I've been working on a couple of paintings this week. . .the one above is waiting for last minute highlights, sitting on my easel with an air of patient reverence.  Apparently this shell is actually the "inner" layer of a nautilus. . .the outer layer has been removed and the inner layer polished to a pearly glow.  I happen to think these shells are gorgeous, not only because their design hasn't changed for years beyond counting, but the line, the curve is just so darn perfect.

You just can't beat Mother Nature, can you?  Boggles my tiny mind to think of it.   

 

I'm late to some revelations in life. . .some facts of life. . .because frankly, as my mother always said with love,  "Sandy is a late bloomer."   My inner life found a good friend this past week. . .a small book serendipitously found at the used bookstore. . .The Journal Keeper, A Memoir by Phyllis Theroux.  I'm sure you're familiar with sometimes feeling a close kinship with an author's writing - reading excerpts from Theroux's journal felt stranger than strange!  In many ways I felt we were cut from the same cloth!  So, it was a total blast reading her thoughts. . .belly laughs out loud over parts, nail biting at others.  Her keen intelligence is smack dab on the surface and I could wax on and on about her ability to articulate her feelings, but you get the picture without further ado.  Funny little word, ado. 

But I must mention in good faith that she was kind enough, wonderful enough, intuitive enough to include a reading list at the end of her book. . .of poetry, memoirs, meditations, essays and journals, etc., all works that have and continue to influence/move her!  What a perfect gift.  I intend to attack this list with zeal as this year goes on in order to fuel my inner life.  This list may contain many old friends for you, but I'm late to this table (you were right mom) and am clinging to the notion that my time has come!

My inner life had a good chance of being planted and grown as I had a childhood filled with nature.  All the good growin' time was in a valley that provided endless days of tree climbing, creek fun, pasture walking, backed by fort-making-woods with Tarzan-like natural vines providing real adventure and imagination.  Grateful is an understatement!  I am finding a desire to paint bits and pieces of that natural world just to enjoy it again.  I did this tiny, abstract-like palette knife piece a couple of weeks ago called Valley View.  This was fun!

Valley View, oil on panel  6 x 12

Happy Weekend!

Hopefully a view of the portrait I'm working on next week.