Throat Chakra

"This Chakra is the first energetic center that differentiates man from all other life forms. This single human attribute gives us the power to express ourselves on every level of experience. To honor this gift fully, we are asked to consciously commit to expressing our truth and sing the song of individuality clearly and with integrity. To do so truly serves our spirits." (from The Book of Chakras by Ambika Wauters.)

This Chakra is the communicator and the location is the internal and external throat. It's representational shape is the inverted pyramid, suspended around the jaw and pointing down toward the heart. It's plant is the gardenia and singer Billie Holiday often wore a gardenia in her hair while she sang. My painting isn't a direct representation of her but has symbols relating to communication, music, the colour turquoise which is this Chakras' colour and a feeling of drama.

This painting is 10 by 30 inches and is done with acrylic paints on canvas.

Empty Nest Syndrome

One of the biggest reasons why I haven't been posting much on this blog lately is because I have been going through a bout of "Pre" Empty Nest Syndrome. It's a very difficult time in my life as my 21 year old daughter, Danielle, is leaving home and will be travelling with her boyfriend to Vancouver to live. It's been an up and down roller coaster ride lately. Not only do I have an Art Walk to prepare for, but I have this huge life changing event going on at the same time. I have been incredibly stressed due to these two things plus other issues that have been going on in my family. I decided today that I would give myself a break in regards to my Chakra paintings. It's been very time consuming trying to finish them all in time. The art walk is in less than a month, and Danielle is leaving in less than two weeks. It gives me very little time to 'grieve' my loss. I decided to finish the fifth one, but to then go on to my mandalas which I also want to have available. If I have some time around then, I will work on the sixth and seventh Chakras, but I am not going to drive myself crazy trying to finish them.

No one, but a mom who has been through this, would understand. I read somewhere that when the children leave home, for a mom it's the same feeling as for a man when he retires. I remember when my own father retired, he had a very difficult time and really wasn't the same person for years afterward. I remember my mom crying night after night at the dinner table when my brother left home. I myself have been very depressed lately, but if I didn't have my art to look forward to, it would be ten times worse.

Art is such a wonderful hobby. I would recommend to anyone, whether you think you have any talent or not, to just draw, paint, sculpt, knit, sew...anything at all that is creative..to help you through any tough times in your life. It is truly a blessing in my life. That and of course, my wonderful daughters and my true blue husband.

I know that passages in life is just what life is all about. You have to take the good with the bad. Yes, this is a tough one right now, but I know it's all for the best.

Heart Chakra

This painting is about love - love for another being, love of nature, love of life. The two figures are surrounded by love and the beauty of nature. The heart is nourished by spending time with nature. Here we can breathe clean air and find tranquility and beauty. Since the fourth Chakra also governs the heart AND the lungs, I wanted to convey that both are important. I have placed the main figures in the middle of the painting to represent the fact that the Heart Chakra is the middle chakra - 4th of 7.

This painting is done with acrylics and is 22" by 30".