I have been working on creating a series of encaustic mixed media pieces where I work on different panels, one with a transfer or a print embedded in the wax, and the other panel being an abstract composition. Lately I have been obsessed with either scratching in or painting in or carving in tree ring shapes into my pieces. Have you seen that meme that has a photo of tree rings and then a photo of a human fingerprint side by side? I love that.
I took the photo of the robins in the treetop sometime this past winter. I love robins. I used to overlook them because they are everywhere. You get used to what is commonplace. But after I did my 100 Days of Birds a few years ago and actually had to look at an American Robin and paint it, I was like, this is a beautiful bird. I love the broken up ring around the eyes and also their curious nature. They’re so used to being around humans that I often feel like they come over and check out what we’re doing when we’re outside. And I love their earthy red/ burnt orange chests. You can’t see the red in this photo, but in person you can.
I recently attended my 30th high school reunion which was really nice. I felt like the energy was more relaxed than in the past. More about how are you, rather than what are you doing/what have you achieved. I wondered if it had to do with being in post Covid and also just getting older and being through more life experience, which often means experiencing loss and scares and carrying grief. Realizing that it’s a lucky thing to be able to gather together and just say, let’s sit together and be. There’s good healing energy in that.