47th entry the '2017 Gowns Series'

If we were to line up our challenges, like lines on a blank canvas, our story, experiences, great adventures and heartbreaks. We could choose to wear our history as chains that drag and clunk, or as wings,capes,gowns which beautifully trail behind us. This is the inspiration behind my latest fine art series "Gowns".
In life there are things beyond our control. but still the one powerful thing we do have control over is choice. Surely the very things that knock us right on our asses sometimes can also serve as the fuel we need to make the next step, and not just 'let me buy a new shirt' type changes, real life altering changes. Here we see a woman, as she is walking away, the lines of her experiences amassing as they billow away from her step. She cinches her dress to make the slightest adjustment in order to clear her next step or perhaps to make her stride more comfortable. The gown appears heavy yet light.  The symbolism here is consistent with the series.In the second piece Ive used an ink from Bombay that was imported. I wanted to draw out the aqua, teal and turquoise tones so I chose the greens of a violet to provide the background. 
Violets love my rich clay soil and grow wild here by the thousands. The method, called "pressing" is simple its very similar to those pesky grass stains moms get annoyed at on the knees of jeans. Pinch a leaf at the base of the plant careful not to dig into the earth around it. Gently remove the leaf, fold and with a small bit of pressure run it along the cotton canvas.This will oxidise, in other words, like an apple once cut and left on a counter. Air will cause this green to first turn yellow then a tan so you have to move fairly quickly to preserve the color. There are several methods to do so available online for you to research. The ability to time the oxidation in order to get the shade of green you prefer is an art, so play with the process, make it your own. Its a fun thing for kids to try if you have access to these types of plants just be nice to the little dudes when you try it. Pinching too many leafs can hurt them so only do one leaf per plant per seasons start and end at most. It will in fact encourage them grow more which means next year even more color opportunities. Be nice to them, theyll be nice right back :) The human eye can detect more shades and tints of green than ony other color, I love the chance to get to use it in my work. You can see in the final picture that rich shade of green from violets located in the lower right corner.. Im so happy you took the time to read this entry it means a great deal to someone who is doing something as personal as art for a living. I hope in turn youve come to understand the series a bit more enriching your depth of experience with each piece.

Its easy enough to say that we as human beings know what it is to have pain, be it emotional, physical, mental. Pain unfortunately is a part of life's experience. Suffering is optional. I believe that no matter its source, work, relationships, money, change, any problem, any challenge, though it might be seemingly large, though it can be painfully difficult, can not withstand the power of a mature mind with sound judgement. That power is a choice, and its one each of us has the gift of making.

So you see its attitude, its healthier choices and love of ones self. The ability to accept ones self and take it all, the good, the bad, the needs and wants and be mature enough to care for it. To unstick a negative perspective and crack that shell of being is perhaps the most amazing thing a person who is suffering can do. 






The series is near complete and I can not wait to share it with you. They will appear at my commercial retail workshop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/PGPGIFTERY after a closed audience display and private showing later this week. More to come so stay tuned, and thank you for the love.