softly the late light dapples downon daubs of
paint
planted
'neath leafy gums
for such a time as this season
original photography & prose by Kel © 2009
Dappled daubs
softly the late light dapples downon daubs of
paint
planted
'neath leafy gums
for such a time as this season
original photography & prose by Kel © 2009
Busting out!
in order to bloom one has to stop being a bulbin case you missed it
spring is here
time to bloom
bust out of your bulb
and be "the beautiful"
original photography and prose by Kel © 2009
play away
we're on a roadtrip this week for a much needed change of scenery
last time we went somewhere on holiday, for more than one night, was in April - last year!
we've hosted at least one group of guests here every month, sometimes more,
but haven't had a decent break ourselves
time to get a fresh perspective
last time we went somewhere on holiday, for more than one night, was in April - last year!
we've hosted at least one group of guests here every month, sometimes more,
but haven't had a decent break ourselves
time to get a fresh perspective
to check out some floral art in the capital
some national gallery art
and garden sculpture
spectacular coastal driving
then presenting a day of creative spirituality for an interstate community
which I've spent the past two months preparing ideas and materials for
see ya' laterwe're playing
away
away
paint : dance : pray
As a child I was taught prayer was something you did before bed, before meals, in church etc, and with your eyes closed, starting with Dear God finishing with Amen [now there is a nice structure to that and I still use it sometimes].
But my current understanding of prayer is so much larger - if one sees prayer as practising the presence of the Divine - then prayer can involve no words at all. Sometimes we can be in so much physical or emotional pain, or so stuck in meaningless routine, finding words to communicate anything, let alone a prayer, is impossible.
Imagery has a way of embodying words before we even know what it is we are seeking or trying to say.
I love to paint prayers. I have:
painted prayers and hidden them around our property for a prayer walk
painted prayer flags (on my own and in a group)
and danced and painted prayers (on my own).
The past five years have been a huge transition time in my life. Actually a collection of multiple transitions, many with very hard passages to traverse. When the emotional turmoil manifested in physical illness, I found toning to be a powerful method of prayer. Toning is a way to use your singing voice to create calm wellbeing and connect to the Divine.
Prayer can simply involve spending time surrounded by nature, focusing on the small and large details around us, slowing our breathing, simply being in the presence of the Divine (which somehow seems easier in nature).
One of my highlights in exploring the art of prayer, was a visit to Chartres Cathedral in France, where I walked the labyrinth.
Preparing my home for guests and hosting their visit is another form of prayer. Fresh linen, food in the fridge, all done with an intention to create a space for them to rest, recreate and hopefully reconnect with their Source.
If one sees prayer as practising the presence of the Divine, I'd love to know what your practises are.
~ ~ ~
this post was inspired by a combination of my current studio practise and reading, which includes:
But my current understanding of prayer is so much larger - if one sees prayer as practising the presence of the Divine - then prayer can involve no words at all. Sometimes we can be in so much physical or emotional pain, or so stuck in meaningless routine, finding words to communicate anything, let alone a prayer, is impossible.
Imagery has a way of embodying words before we even know what it is we are seeking or trying to say.
I love to paint prayers. I have:
painted prayers and hidden them around our property for a prayer walk
painted prayer flags (on my own and in a group)
and danced and painted prayers (on my own).
The past five years have been a huge transition time in my life. Actually a collection of multiple transitions, many with very hard passages to traverse. When the emotional turmoil manifested in physical illness, I found toning to be a powerful method of prayer. Toning is a way to use your singing voice to create calm wellbeing and connect to the Divine.
Prayer can simply involve spending time surrounded by nature, focusing on the small and large details around us, slowing our breathing, simply being in the presence of the Divine (which somehow seems easier in nature).
One of my highlights in exploring the art of prayer, was a visit to Chartres Cathedral in France, where I walked the labyrinth.
Preparing my home for guests and hosting their visit is another form of prayer. Fresh linen, food in the fridge, all done with an intention to create a space for them to rest, recreate and hopefully reconnect with their Source.
If one sees prayer as practising the presence of the Divine, I'd love to know what your practises are.
~ ~ ~
this post was inspired by a combination of my current studio practise and reading, which includes:
- Jan Lundy's post on prayer on her blog Awake is Good
- Barbara Brown Taylor's book, An Altar in the World: a geography of faith - which I am proclaiming as book of the year! I've never met her, but I love this woman. Not only a fantastic writer, but someone who puts words to so much of my own experience.
Textured acrylic artwork
Purple Spring, original art by Kel © 2009I've been developing my textural art-making skills. Progressing along from my first attempt here, and second round here.
Originally, I set out to create something for our bedroom wall. On bringing the finished piece over to the house, I realised the colours perfectly matched the living room decor. So it might end up hanging there instead.
While I still have leftover building materials, it keeps the cost of artmaking low. This was created on a ply offcut. Now to work out a framing/hanging solution . . .
Painted prayer
words have been failing mein so many areas of late
but mostly in prayer
there have been no words
to commune with the creator
no words to speak of the source
so yesterday i went into the studio
cranked up the volume
and painted a prayer
when finished, i stepped back
to see what it might say
first, i saw a pink k
but the image was not the right way up
as i turned it the way it called
there it was
the lost ark
recovered
the shekinah
dear god
this is me
dancing like david
before you
with all my might
who cares
what others think
inappropriate
if they felt your presence
in this way
perhaps they too would dance
and worry no more
when words fail
to see what it might say
first, i saw a pink k
but the image was not the right way up
as i turned it the way it called
there it was
the lost ark
recovered
the shekinah
dear godthis is me
dancing like david
before you
with all my might
who cares
what others think
inappropriate
if they felt your presence
in this way
perhaps they too would dance
and worry no more
when words fail
Gone walkabout . . .
There are two types of people: those who talk the talk and those who walk the walk. People who walk the walk sometimes talk the talk but most times they don’t talk at all. ‘Cause they walkin’.
~fromthe movie Hustle & Flow
~fromthe movie Hustle & Flow
Bat invasion
The other night I saw a shadow flit across the lounge-room ceiling.
“Open the doors,” I called out to Mr X. “There’s a bird in the house.”
Then the shadow flitted past again. “Oh, no!” I shrieked, “It’s a bat!”
We were both so busy running around opening all the external doors, neither of us thought to watch and see if the bat flew out.
A quick google search later and we were fully armed for getting a bat out of the house. Well, we knew what we were supposed to be fully armed with. A pair of chainmail gloves. What the!?!
According to the government health department's information sheet, we needed to have protective clothing on. Wear puncture-proof gloves, long sleeves, protective glasses and mask. Bats can easily bite through cloth or leather gloves, so you might consider wearing chain mail gloves where this is feasible.
We have a well stocked shed with all manner of tools, fire-fighting equipment, and other miscellaneous paraphernalia, but we don't have a pair of chain mail gloves [note to self: when next shopping at Medieval Fashionista . . . ]
A wiki taught us a few more bat-catching tips, and gave Mr X an idea for a new project. Apparently, if we built a bat house the bat would happily stay outside and hang in it, rather than hang out in ours!
We spent an hour searching the house for any sign of the unwelcome creature, to no avail. Hoping it had escaped when we flung open all the doors, we finally went to bed. Making sure the sheets were pulled up tight around our faces!
“Oh well, if it’s still inside, at least we won’t get any mosquito bites,” said ever-positive Mr X. “One bat can eat up to 600 mosquitoes an hour.”
“Open the doors,” I called out to Mr X. “There’s a bird in the house.”
Then the shadow flitted past again. “Oh, no!” I shrieked, “It’s a bat!”
We were both so busy running around opening all the external doors, neither of us thought to watch and see if the bat flew out.
A quick google search later and we were fully armed for getting a bat out of the house. Well, we knew what we were supposed to be fully armed with. A pair of chainmail gloves. What the!?!
According to the government health department's information sheet, we needed to have protective clothing on. Wear puncture-proof gloves, long sleeves, protective glasses and mask. Bats can easily bite through cloth or leather gloves, so you might consider wearing chain mail gloves where this is feasible.
We have a well stocked shed with all manner of tools, fire-fighting equipment, and other miscellaneous paraphernalia, but we don't have a pair of chain mail gloves [note to self: when next shopping at Medieval Fashionista . . . ]
A wiki taught us a few more bat-catching tips, and gave Mr X an idea for a new project. Apparently, if we built a bat house the bat would happily stay outside and hang in it, rather than hang out in ours!
We spent an hour searching the house for any sign of the unwelcome creature, to no avail. Hoping it had escaped when we flung open all the doors, we finally went to bed. Making sure the sheets were pulled up tight around our faces!
“Oh well, if it’s still inside, at least we won’t get any mosquito bites,” said ever-positive Mr X. “One bat can eat up to 600 mosquitoes an hour.”
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