Week Two
Gilded Summer, Week Two
8” x 10”
Oil Paint, Layered Glass and Mirror, Gilded Frame
This painting is divided into seven slots, each showing a part of the world around me that day. These slots are inspired by the days of the week that I now very consciously fill. Branches, leaves, twigs, the river, and scattered light all come together to fill a whole. Each piece might seem small on its own, but together they reveal a delicate balance of place, memory, and process.
The composition reflects the rhythm of the season, how moments unfold to create a bigger, more complex picture. At the center is a plant I faced as I painted. It might seem insignificant, compared to all the foliage imaged, yet it was what fate put directly in front of me that day. I was guided to be there with this plant, in this specific space full of life. I was witness to these quiet moments, and can always keep them close.
I choose my frame.
A deeper shade of gold to match the dark purple I chose.
It felt solid, like something to build on.
But the purple peeled away easily, as if it never fully settled.
The sky was overcast, I could feel the storm brewing all day.
And I noticed, my sumac wasn’t ready yet.
This pause, this space to notice.
It feels like a gift.
Down the path,
and then alone.
Alone with the sounds.
Squirrels cracking branches in the distance
.Wings buzzing close.
A few even gave me kisses.
It wasn’t thier fault those kisses turned into red, itchy bumps.
The river moved slow,
a tree broken low across it.
Black dragonflies danced with white tipped wings, and a sweet white moth caught the corner of my eye.
On my quilt,
I think about structure.
How everything moves through a process.
Balanced events, lined up.
For the sake of sustenance.
Patterns repeating.
In time.
For time.
I feel the shape of it now.
Seven slots to fill,
then start again.
It’s dark,
a little daunting.
Like a cloudy day in the trees.
But once you’re in the storm,
after awhile,
the rain feels holly.
Refreshing.
And so we go on, in repeat,
Until something unexpected sparks us.
Like how I found my place this week.
I noticed her while I was driving through the trees.
A woman was stepping out of the woods just behind me.
That single glance.
The way she looked like how I wanted to feel,
was enough to turn me around.
Was it stepping off the path,
or always part of it?
I guess I’ll never know.