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Last weekend I had the immense pleasure of visiting Giverny to experience the house and gardens of Monet. The grounds were an orgy to the senses, the explosions of color and perfumes of the flowers. Escaping the crowds, we found the Ancient Restaurant Baudy Hotel, the famous hotel that became an artists' colony in the late 1800's. Baudy was the "American painters' hotel" where everyone would dance the night sipping their whiskey. The bill that Cezanne paid at the bar is well know: "Mister Cezanne, two whiskies with Mister Monet". The artists' studio is still in the garden, open tubes and pigments well aged, and dirty palates that I had the urge to take and clean! The first two photos above were taken at the gardens there.
The next day we found ourselves rather by accident at the medieval town of Senlis, after a fabulous lunch we wandered the town and entered the cathedral. All three of us were rooted to the floor when we looked way up and saw the Virgin and Child surrounded by plain colored stonework while she herself was swathed in bright orange! I've never seen orange on the Virgin Mary, mostly because orange is the color of sex and creativity, and happens to be one of my favorite colors, partly for that reason but also because it looks good on me (see photo from just the previous day)! Not a color associated with virgins, another reason its a favorite!
I think the sculptor had the last laugh on someone a few centuries earlier!
e heart
thing.
Suddenly, I'm surrounded by Lions! Earlier this month, just after finishing this painting, I was in the French countryside in the home of people I've just met. There in pride (ha) of place is a large pen and ink of a lion's face very like the expression in my painting. Throughout the house there was more lion art and it turns out we were in the area of the last days of King Richard the Lionheart or "Coeur de Lion." Three days later I walk out of a restroom in the Hotel Lutetia in Paris and smack in front of me is an old etching of a lion. And now as I 'm writing this I'm in Italy staying at the Mount Lion Cultural Centre, with the small town of Monteleone just up the hill. I love life, its so magical! How can you go wrong when surrounded by strong courageous lions? Bon courage!
This is the first mandala that I have ever created. I used gouache on paper with gold acrylic. It's entitled "Seed of Life" because the pattern in the center is the sacred geometry symbol called the seed of life. Oddly, the center was the last bit that I painted, I wasn't sure what was going to go there. Even odder when it clicked that my surname "kern" means "seed," as in kernel.
The seed of life is a symbol for the seven days of creation, as it is comprised of seven circles. It is treated as a stage in the process of creation of the flower of life - a geometrical shape that symbolizes the whole universe. It helps to create new ideas and to open new pathways in life. I say, "bring it on!"
Over the last couple of weeks I've been receiving the images from some of the artists who participated in our worldwide collaboration. It was very exciting to see what other artists created! Shown here is my contribution titled Perfect Peace and Structure. Please view http://www.sheila-kern.com/ArtforHumanity.html to see, hear and enjoy the results. Thanks again to everyone who supported this event!
This Tuesday is the final day of four where we will be joining together as artists with the intention of bringing hope, peace and harmony to humanity. Its been inspiring for me to know and feel that other artists are creating the same time I am, with our hearts in the same place. Thanks to all again for being part of this!
I'll be heading back to Paris with my painting in hand on Sunday night, so I will be back home on the final day of our collaboration. It felt special and different working on my painting here in India, different locations do have different effects. It's been a fantastic experience for me, I'm very grateful!
As I had stated in my first mailing, the artwork deadline for web page is Tuesday, December 2, 2008. Completed work to be sent to me as a jpg image maximum size of 750KB. If you have any questions, please email me at contact@sheila-kern.com.
I'm so looking forward to see what everyone has created, as I'm sure you all are as well!
When I began to put the word out about my idea to bring artists together from all over the globe to create art at the same time with the intention of hope, peace and harmony for humanity, I specifically wanted someone in India to participate. Don't ask me why I felt strongly about that, but as it happened no artists from India joined in, that is until this week as I find MYSELF in India! All rather last minute and at the invitation from a friend. So, I'll be painting from Mumbai, India tomorrow! I brought my painting with me, hand carried it onto the plane. Isn't life amazing?
Thanks again to everyone who is participating, looking forward to joining with you again tomorrow!
"Like a ray of light, you are an entity of Love"
Love Without End by Glenda Green
It's no accident that one of our days of joining together with intention falls on Election Day in the USA.
I love the idea of focusing on Hope, Peace and Harmony for Humanity while emotions, tensions, and expectations run high tomorrow. For me, to be in a place of compassion and higher perspective brings me a sense of relief from the intensity and hype. We're feeling it very much here in Europe as I'm sure is the rest of the world, all things being connected and never so much as now!
Thanks again to everyone who is participating, looking forward to joining with you tomorrow!
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