Over the holidays, our oldest came back from college and after weeks of his planning it, we sat around the kitchen table and did something I have never done before. We played Dungeons and Dragons. If you aren’t familiar with this particular game, this is how the official website describes it: “the players form an adventuring party who explore fantasy worlds together as they embark on epic quests and level up in experience. The Dungeon Master (also known as the DM) is the game’s referee and storyteller.”
The character I created was a bird person named Raven whose magic, at least in our world, was unparalleled.
I have never particularly liked or disliked Star Wars. I fell asleep during one of the Lord of the Rings movies. (Gasp!) In other words, this was not a game I would typically play or seek out.
And I enjoyed it.
Since then, I have been thinking about Ravens. Those dark birds I never paint. And I’ve been thinking about how sadness and joy so often commingle, walk together, how they don’t stay in their own lanes, no matter how much we try to see it that way. The joy of being with a child (or adult I suppose?) who has been away for a while, mixed with the heaviness of his having grown up so much. The beauty of this present life and the longing for those who aren’t here.
So my bicycler today has both flowers and a raven in her basket. She is moving through this world fully alive, fully human, with wonder, delight, and despair.
A writer I follow, Glennon Doyle, calls things that are both beautiful and brutal “Bruitfal,” a word I’ve now incorporated into my vocabulary. A word I’ve used as the title to this painting.
Please note
The framed image of this piece was created digitally as the piece is currently being framed by a local framer. The artwork will have some variations from this image that buyer will approve before shipping.
I’ll post each painting at (or close to) 10 am each day this month and they will be available for purchase on my site. However, the pieces will not be shipped out or available for pick up until February 26, after the run of the gallery show.
January 13, 2024
Share Post
One of the first things I remember learning as a child was the concept of patterns. Teachers seemed to be...
After kicking off 2024 with a (mostly) small painting a day in my annual 31 in 31 practice, I was...
“If You Want to go Far” 24×30 inches, oil on canvas I started this month with a bike, and...
Become a member and enjoy early access to new releases, exclusive discounts, and a new wallpaper for your computer or tablet. Elevate your art journey with us.
This following document sets forth the Privacy Policy for this website. We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Crh), which sets out a number of principles concerning the privacy of individuals using this website.
We collect Non-Personally Identifiable Information from visitors to this Website. Non-Personally Identifiable Information is information that cannot by itself be used to identify a particular person or entity, and may include your IP host address, pages viewed, browser type, Internet browsing and usage habits, advertisements that you click on, Internet Service Provider, domain name, the time/date of your visit to this Website, the referring URL and your computer’s operating system.
Participation in providing your email address in return for an offer from this site is completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to disclose your information. You may unsubscribe at any time so that you will not receive future emails.
Your personal information that we collect as a result of you purchasing our products & services, will NOT be shared with any third party, nor will it be used for unsolicited email marketing or spam. We may send you occasional marketing material in relation to our design services. What Information Do We Collect? If you choose to correspond with us through email, we may retain the content of your email messages together with your email address and our responses.
One Response