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Looking for the light in the darkness

            It begins with a thought, turns into a feeling and results in an action, so says the experts who study the brain.  As I am aware of the loss of life in so many disasters and human tragedy going on around me, near me and and miles away from me.  I tried to put those feelings of darkness away and used the colors in this painting to take my thoughts to a place of awe.  Looking up to the wonder of this planet created by the master artist God…….there is always light.

Just how in the world can I be light or even see the light seemingly overshadowed by so much darkness………….

Then ever so unexpected the canvas reveals the faces, the figure of one looking into the dark and seeing light.

Listening to Whitney Houston on youtube……I Look to You…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pze_mdbOK8. took over my thoughts and reminded me to look to the only thing that is everlasting my faith and relationship with God.  The beautiful talented Whitney you still inspire me with your voice.  Thankful that I still have eyes that can see the light and ears that can hear the music.

             Take care of your thoughts and let them be full of grace, love and hope sending them out to others who have lost their way, grieving so much loss and broken hearts that knock the breathe out of their lungs…….

Clinging to the gratitude of the light within and seeking to be more light on this journey as I walk more in giving instead of thoughts of wanting……. even thoughts of trying to understand…….for that shall most likely never be here in the physical…….yet the spirit brings light through the small and big cracks….

I challenge us all …..Do not Miss It.

Blessed I am yet still knowing that it does not mean all is well in this world…..only well with my soul…….may it be so with you…….

Thinking about those who are suffering unbearable loss today and sending them love…..

Martha

PS  I upload my latest work on Martha’ Art  if you wish to view……

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Treasuring Every Moment One At A Time

 

The changing sky……

 

About 4 years ago (2013)  into my art journey I became aware of how much I loved the sky and how it changes moment by moment with the treasure of  images that cannot be captured by a photo or a memory.  It literally moves with the power of God’s hand and paints pictures that only HE can and images left to the imagination of the viewer.

As a child growing up on a farm in rural Central Mississippi, my summers were simple; making clover chains in my Dad’s fields, carving out hideouts in the woods, laying in the grass and looking up and making stories up about the clouds and what they seemed to be.  My cousins and I thinking and dreaming of worlds beyond the farm and small town realities.

              Long before  I began to think or believe I could leave this farm                and small town attitudes and fly among the clouds to far away   places……………………  

The mere thought of that often spurred negative comments from those that I dared to tell my dreams and hopes to; thinking that they would give me the encouragement to pursue them………  How wrong I was.  My inspiration was my Mom, who gave me the freedom and the courage to go for it.  So I did.  I somehow with my brother’s help found a way to go to college with loans from the Federal and State (which I paid back in full) and the jobs that I had on campus and during the summers.

                               ”  I Looked at Clouds from both Sides Now”

Interesting in 1969, Joni Mitchell recorded a song about clouds, that she wrote in 1967 that was sung first by Joan Collins.  I graduated from USM 1969,  and began a journey that would take me to many places around the world, as a Delta Stewardess/Flight Attendant.  Words from the song” I Looked at Clouds from Both Sides Now” take me back to memories of dreaming and not knowing but somehow believing these words…..”It’s clouds illusions I recall , I really don’t know clouds at all”.

Painting clouds is a challenge, as the artist tries to capture the image that is reveled in the formation of that cloud knowing that it will not stay the same for long………. One cannot truly put on canvas the ever-changing clouds placed in the sky above by God the creator.

This painting was one of my first attempts to capture what I saw in the clouds.  Perhaps after a few years  of painting and having a little more experience, I will return to the magic of the sky and try to capture an image that only last for a moment.

The sky and clouds are always in transition of change………Treasure the ones that you view and dream the dreams of what clouds can reveal to you…..

Hoping that you will be inspired by the art that the sky reveals everyday, moment by moment, changing and revealing a canvas of beauty and inspiration.

                                    What do you see in the clouds today….. in the sky                                                                                                   above YOU?????????

Looking up for inspirations,

Martha

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Revealing Pain in Art and Healing Comes…..

   As October 2017 approaches I am 3 years free of nerve pain that radiated from my neck down to my left fingertips.  Six months of therapy, spinal injections and nerve medicine seeking healing sent me into a state of fog and depression that is revealed in this charcoal drawing.

The summer of 2014 I found myself (pain and all) in a drawing class at Brookhaven  College with an amazing professor called Case.  As I tried to focus on the art and not on the nerve pain that radiated down my arm like an electric shock that never truly stopped..…  This is the image of me….in that state…………… 

How can anyone describe pain that is personal?….I for one cannot totally relate to anyone else who is suffering when my suffering is unlike theirs.  Yet somehow I feel as an empath with compassionate feelings that transcends into the hurts and concerns of others and I  somehow have a glimpse of their pain.   My world of thoughts often take me to a place that is flooded with emotions that brings sadness, distress, and sleepless nights when faced with the hurts of this world.

Professionals tell you….Empaths  must take care and have emotional boundaries or they will burn out and find themselves in a valley without the strength to climb…..

Gifts given are gifts to be shared.  This is the truth that I know for sure.  Remember that those who seem to have  it all together are the one that often need the encouragement to continue on and on until………Take the time to ask, take the time to serve, take the time to be present, take the risk to be rejected, take the moment to be that something to someone.  It is in giving that we receive, it is in pain that we can relate, it is in suffering that we can understand and it is in acceptance that we can love.  Most of all it is in forgiveness that we can be free.

Today I am in prayer for Irma to turn back to sea and for Harvey’s destruction to be a picture of redemption as we give, encourage, help, and focus on what is important ( our relationships with others and God)  Memories not stuff….Easy to say yet difficult to put into practice……

Looking back on the days that I drew this picture, reminds me that art can heal, art can reveal, art can express, art can speak and art can be the connection to inspire others to create……

Fellow artists…..Take the picture, paint on the canvas, draw in your sketch book, knit the hat….etc….quilt ……bake…. try a new recipe play your instrument….sing the song, write the song, write the letter, text, call,  laugh,  dance… journal your thoughts, pray your prayers…..but most importantly be the artist that God has created you and only you to be…..You are more than enough….You make a difference one moment, one smile, one voice, one day at a time……

Everything we hold dear here will one day pass away.  Make memories and connect to God the artist who knows all, created all and is eternal.

My heart tonight sends safe thoughts and prayers for all those in the path of Irma.  The beauty of the ocean and the serenity of the beach are images in my mind that brings smiles to my heart; yet the power of this hurricane that is bringing fear, change and destruction to many islands and to Florida is real….How can it be…beauty, peace, tranquility turning into such force of destruction?????    Turn back to the ocean Irma leaving your raging winds and surge seaward…….May we all be the change that we wish to be.

Thoughtfully,

Martha

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How can my Gulf Coast neighbors overcome the floods?

    Overcoming the flood waters is on my mind today as I pray and do what I can for my friends on the Gulf Coast as the flood waters recede.  The destruction is staring at them and far-reaching beyond their sight.  Overcome they will , but how does anyone know where to start with the shock of all of this?  Grateful that they have survived yet overwhelmed with the what now.  Yeah, I know they say it is just stuff and they are thankful for life; but when the shock wears off and the task of doing takes over I just cannot image the mere exhaustion that will continue for many days, many months, and for some, many years.

                Let us not forget about them I pray.

Harvey certainly lived up to his name which means eager for battle, and battle did he, with winds and rain that just kept coming and destroying for days.  It was difficult to see the images as I prayed Lord stop the rain.  Finally it stopped and the sun appeared and help continues to arrive that has given hope to our world of division.  A picture of how we can work together to begin to build again.

No words have I for inspiration among so much heartache, brokenness and destruction but the hope I have is to look up.   “I lift up my eyes to the hills–where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  PS. 121: 1-2  The painting focused on this writing is the cross rising above the floods of life with the light of the Son bringing the hope and mercy to us by faith.

May you find this hope no matter what storms are around you now or the  storms that will come, and you will look up and know that you are never alone .  God with us forever…….and ever……

Prayerfully,

Martha

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The Colors of the Changing Sea

           Walking on the beach in the cool morning air or at sunset is one of my favorite things to do.   Since I do not live near the sea or ocean this favorite experience is one that is rare for me; however the memories of those times inspire my soul to the beauty and the power of the ocean that is changing moment by moment.

                        ” And there was no longer any sea” Rev. 21:

During December 2013 I was in a Beth Moore study of Revelations and the paintings above were inspired by this verse and the memories of my times near the ocean.  The vision of the sea leaving and I am under it was my thought as I painted the first image you see above.

My husband was an avid scuba diver and loved to be under the sea before I met him. This is his favorite painting.  Being underwater is not something I like. In fact I do not like to swim with my head underwater, perhaps because as a child I learned to swim in creeks and ponds that you could not see what was under the cloudy water.  However a number of years ago when we were in Bermuda I braved the sea and tried snorkeling.  That gave me some courage to later venture out again in Tortola, B.V.I.  The undersea is amazing with bright colors of coral,  and fish that you can see with a snorkel or scuba gear.  Colors that just amaze the eyes.  The ocean is so powerful that reminds me how small I am in comparison.

Thinking at this season of my life’s journey I will leave the underwater adventures to him and I will take in the sunsets and the sounds of the ocean that calm my soul and inspire me to put it on a canvas.

The vivid colors of the second image were inspired by seeing some of those colors for myself and by the many images that underwater photographers have captured.

New beginnings, new blessings, new hope everyday…….

Practice your art whatever that is and share with others needing encouragement, needing touch, needing colors in their life, and you just might be surprised by the joy that beams within you and them.  Joy shared multiplies changing the world one life, one moment at a time.  Mentor someone with your life’s experiences and talents.  All of us are called to give what we have. Look for opportunities to give hope and purpose to those that cross your path. Just start where you are, right now not waiting for this or that, for those moments are escaping.

From my Heart to Yours,

Martha

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