Saturday, August 02, 2008

Shrink To Fit

reads: Shrink to fit
my life to yours
find

sideways:
...dreams....
...love...
...a new way to fly...
...joy...


This is the painting I did for Inspire Me Thursday. It's made with acrylic gouache, and a bit of gold pigment ink pen. I am not sure how I feel about the flat quality of gouache. I've only just started experimenting. I may go back to plain ole golden acrylics.

It is odd how this is the image that came to me when I was thinking about the prompt. At first, I was thinking Alice and Wonderland, and how only through shrinking could she go through the tiny door into a new realm. But then, I started thinking of my old series of handprint paintings, and G wanted to play, too, so I decided to go with that, and the shrinking became smaller handprints inside the larger one. I also the ladder image, which is an old theme...it surprised me that it popped up. Sometimes I forget that I have been working on this stuff for years, I am not just starting up.

I like the idea of the painting, although I am not so sure about the outcome. I might try to do a different take on this idea later.

My life has definitely shrunk to fit that of a mother to two small children. I barely leave the house. Most of my brain is taken up with the concerns of feeding, cleaning, sleeping and keeping everyone from crying.

But I am seeing things in a new way. I am living for a new purpose. I am finding more inside of myself. I don't know if I would have found these things without having kids, maybe yes, maybe no, but the truth is I live small now. Smaller than ever before. And it is making me look at life in a different way. I am still figuring it out.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

amazingly and breathtakingly perfect for the life you are leading!

Umā said...

this is really beautiful, and a perfect response to the "shrink" topic.

Kate Lord Brown said...

Gorgeous - I'm seeing blue skies, a bird (plane?) moving on from the dark right hand side and you caring for the little hands held inside your own.

Anonymous said...

I used to live in a small world of big things and now I live in a big world of small things.

Anonymous said...

You do beautiful things. You'll figure things out.

Anonymous said...

this is such a beautiful painting! i really love it. i especially love the ladders and the dreamy look of your painting

Christy Amular said...

I love that painting rowena.It is very symbolic of the very thoughts you are conveying.

Anonymous said...

I love the words...shrink to fit my life to yours amid the fabric of your painting...I'm a fan

soulbrush said...

what an amazing illo, i would say that this painting hobby will keep you sane in these hectic years.no one can ever imagine how hard it is to keep your head above water as a young mum. hugs to you at this time.

kazumiwannabe said...

Don't worry, your brain certainly hasn't shrunk with your free time! I'm always amazed at how much sense you manage to put in your illustrations. This one is fantastic - so explicit, it says so much with few words and well chosen images! And it's sweet and looks great too... Great job!

Rowena said...

Thank you, all. I take your words to heart.

I just wanted to say kazumi, my brain did in fact shrink, literally and medically. It is a proven fact (don't ask me to give you the evidence, I don't have it) that women's brains shrink during pregnancy and post partum. Something outrageous like 10%. They don't tell you about that when you are a kid.

So this blog and my art are my actual attempt to get my brain back. I think it's coming back now. But thanks anyway for the compliment. All the compliments. I am trying to listen to them.

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