Flying Girl and the Soul Moving, or He Says It's Ten Mile River4/23/09
Mixed Media, acrylic and collage on paper, 7"x10"
When you do the things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.
-Rumi
I've been seeing Rumi quotes all over the internet. This one just happens to match this picture.
I did this for a Thursday Sweet Treat Prompt-- the landscape of the soul. Really, that's what all the Flying Girls are. They are a dream moving through that landscape. Sometimes it's dark, sometimes it's light, sometimes it's urban, sometimes rural. Sometimes it's completely make believe or sometimes it's a place I clearly remember.
This one was kind of based on some dreams that I have sometimes, of floating down the river. This river here is made of words, if you can see them. Cut out of a book that I altered many years ago. In my dream, the river is usually the Hudson, but when S saw this painting, he said it was Ten Mile River, which I think is in California. It's a place I've never been, but he insisted I put Ten Mile River into the title.
I don't know. Is the landscape of the soul a place I've never seen? Maybe there are connections all throughout life that we don't understand. Maybe important things resonate.
Sometimes I think about places I've never been that someday I'll call home. They are strange now, but when I look back, they will feel very right. Journeys are like that. They change who you are.
(I don't know what I'm saying here, but I know it's right.)
This is beautiful! I love the flow and breezy feel of it. And the words! I didn't even see them at first until I read your text about the painting. Fantastic! I think the quote goes with it very well also.
ReplyDeleteIt feels very familiar- much like the rivers around here that empty into the sea. Such an uplifting piece.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful and peaceful. Such a meditative piece. :)
ReplyDeletepretty colors. i feel like if you reversed the photograph on the post below, the compositions would come close to matching, and some of the palette is shared.
ReplyDeleteeven though, in a pop movie i watched with the girls, a character says, if you own any orange clothes, get rid of them, i sighed an audible 'ooh' when i clicked on your blog for both of these posts.
and i love the way you've used collage in this one.
beautiful.
I always felt that when I needed a big life change then I needed to change my location. I think that's why I have moved so much. I almost have to be physically moving to move.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm realizing that it doesn't have to be so literal...though all my moves HAVE made me who I am, and I sure do have a lot of places that I can call home. I like that idea. It makes the world smaller.
And I like this flying girl!
I love the landscape, the hope, the beauty and colors in this piece...you are right about journeys...they change us and often for the better...you said it all and it made beautiful sense...love your work
ReplyDeleteThe landscape of the soul is home. :)
ReplyDeleteI always love the motifs in your work. The river and the dress.
The flowers and the butterflies.
The leaves and the land.
The words.
Splendid, as usual Rowena! :)
beautiful piece, and I totally know what you are talking about, looking back from where you are, and knowing that your previous self might not have ever imagined where you are now... cool ideas here, and I am thinking about a new painting!
ReplyDeletep.s. my word verification was "lasts"... hmmm
She's getting lighter all the time--soon she's going to completely take off. I love how sunny this one is.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the girl is flying through locations, maybe none of them are home, but they are each places she's been, so they're part of her now.
ReplyDeleteExperiences definitely change who we are. Hopefully, they make us wiser.
I love this piece. It looks so peaceful.The flying girl looks so free and at peace.
ReplyDelete