Five years ago while painting in the woods, I had an encounter with a wolf. That creature's golden eyes pierced through my heart and opened up a much neglected wild place within. My life tore open in ways I could never have imagined prior to meeting with his feral gaze. I started to paint ferociously. My "safe" lovely watercolor landscapes could no longer contain the wild energy that I felt building within. I began to paint larger, then I changed mediums, first oil and now acrylics. I left behind any people, places or habits that could not support this new passionate energy surging up through my body and spilling out onto the canvas in a frighteningly violent manner. Several months into this explosion I was diagnosed with breast cancer and in between daily radiation treatments I would paint, paint, paint. I walked through the woods and started to experience the earth's body as my own. I recognized a deep connection that I had always understood intellectually but now I was feeling it inside my own body. This is now the place I paint from, that deep wilderness within. A wilderness that sings, and screams and howls with terror and beauty. Yesterday was one of those days in the studio where the earth's voice just came flooding through my body and bursting onto the canvas in all her textures, shapes and forms. I am in love with paint and all it teaches me about this bond with the earth, and that wolf keeps howling deep within.
6 comments:
Holly: I have been following your blog for a while now, enjoying your painting, and many times, the passionate words you sometimes add.
Of course the struggles were not identified.
Your work is wonderful, and the story is to be admired. Thank you for sharing.
a wonderful post. I love this painting. I love the vigor and gutsy abandon in the marks. I love the solid looming, like an iceberg in the night, melting tears like an iceberg, not nearly so solid at all, deeply cleft with darkness, the wild living green embracing it.
And i love your tale of the wolf and the heart-place you paint from.
My day started out as ordinary, but you have made it most special, Holly.
Thank-you Anthony, I appreciate the encouragement of your kind words and that you took the time to stop by and comment. Grateful.
Harry, "Vigor and gutsy abandon" are difficult to keep out of my work lately...have been trying to do some more refined work but realize that is not going to happen so I appreciate your words and will now return to the studio with wild abandon and splash that paint around! ;)
Gaya...she speaks through each and every stroke of your brush, her water as tears, her stone as solidity, her trees as monuments to her destiny. I love the bold and caressing color you give her...she would speak of you in glorious abandon and intimate wonder just as you speak of her. Wonderful work.
James
Love your blog Holly, and we love your art. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Bonnie Ottawa
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