WHY AND WHEN I BEGAN TO PAINT THE MAGICAL HUMMINGBIRDS.

It is now 2006. I moved to London in 2005 so that I could be closer to my ailing Mother in Kent, First one year in Barnes, and then with my friends Rosie and Charles Fletcher in Maidenhead. In 2008 I found a bolt hole in Hampton south west London. A place that allowed me to go back and forth to Kent as well as airports for my teaching assignments in Europe.

After twelve blissful years of living in Crickhowell….I missed it so much, however, I am content to take the beautiful scenery, memories and wonderful friends with me. I visit as much as possible…and stay with my dear friend Gareth and Sally Rees at Curlews…one of my favourite places.

I had already signed up to facebook where I immediately saw its potential.. I began to post images of my paintings…and for no reason in particular, other than people seeming to like them, my hummingbirds.

Anyone following this story will note that I was first introduced to hummingbirds in Flat Rock North Carolina in the 1960s. Over the years and more specifically through my wonderful friends the Kearns clan (who I first met in Westtown in the early seventies) – I was able to visit the southern states of the USA and spend hours observing these amazing flying. jewels.

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From the start they took on a magical quality for me. They symbolised the ‘unseen’ in our world. We humans tend to focus only on what we can see and touch, but it is my belief that it is the unseen energy that surrounds us which is more important.

In my little book Christeve the Cat Finds a Home of Her Own. it is the magical hummingbirds that guide her……

During this period, I am commuting back and forth to Kent to oversee Mother’s care and her house and home. I did everything.I could to keep her in her own home but ultimately after she became more and more unwell, I had to bring her to – a nursing home just a five minute walk from my bolt hole in Hampton.

At the same time I was teaching and painting in France, Brussels, Wales, Portugal and other parts of Europe – only returning to my Hampton bolt hole to rest and spend time with my Mother at Hampton Care. ……..

Christeve the Cat surrounded by magical hummingbirds……

Then a fellow artist suggested that I post my paintings on ‘twitter’…something I was not keen on doing…however, I gave it a go and within a week a woman from Texas (Misty Johnson) contacted me to say that she had a website Hummingbirdhq.com which dealt with all things to do with hummingbirds! She began to represent my hummingbird images.

It was also at this time that I began to write my blog…..which I believe is one of the most personally nourishing things I have done. It was the early days of blogging and so when asked what a blog was…I would simply say ‘I don’t know but it feels right’.….thank goodness I followed my intuition.

On my next post….teaching and all that it has given to me and what it means to me.

From my book ‘THE APPLE EXERCISE’

‘ The more we exercise and practise our creative thinking, which is what the Apple Exercise is all about, the easier and more fluent this process will become enhancing all areas of our lives….’

RANDOM VIGNETTES FROM MY LIFE STORY – 6

Meditating in Monet’s Garden at Giverny

It is 2012…and I am sitting alone in Monet’s Garden at Giverny.

My mind shifts back to the ‘Light Beams coming through the window filled with fairy dust’ at my Grandmother’s house in 1949 (vignette 4).

It is a late summer’s afternoon and all manner of insects are floating though light beams in Monet’s glorious garden….There is a dream like quality.

During the intervening sixty three years, between 1949 and 2012 along with raising two beautiful children I have made my way as an artist. That moment in my grandmother’s sitting room had pointed me towards my life direction.

As I sat in the garden with my paints and sketch book looking towards Monet’s house and studio I recognised that these corresponding moments are a sign that I am on the right path.

watercolour/gouache sketch in Monet’s Garden looking towards the house and studio.

Other than my two good friends, the artists, Marietta Salort and Bonnie Halsey Dutton, I am totally alone in this place. A place which is usually filled with tourists from around the world. To be here like this is a magical experience.

This gift came about through the artist Mariethe Salort who arranged that we could enter the gardens after all the tourists had gone…..A ‘moment’ I will never forget.

Mariethe and Bonnie painted by the pond…and I chose to stay in the first garden.

As I sat and meditated surrounded with nature, I am reminded of the importance of using our short life span as productively as possible. I am reminded how important it is to ‘Follow our bliss’ – to coin Joseph Campbell’s words.

I am reminded that there is never a perfect moment or time to do anything.…….if the call is there…just do it.

As an artist I have lived the ‘feast or famine’ lifestyle throughout my career……..many times not knowing where my next penny would come from, but I continued to follow my bliss. As Joseph Campbell taught when we do this our needs are met in ways that we could never have been creative enough to imagine.

And so as I sat in this garden filled with such beauty, colour and bird song – I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude.