jeanetteleeart

Visit to Maynard Dixon’s home and studio. This is an absolutely lovely, wild location in Southern Utah. Now I’m going to have to come back to do some plain air painting here!

To follow up, here are a few thoughts about the painting. Being on a dry, parched, cracking desert floor that stretches as far as that eye can see into the distance is a less than ideal environment and suggests the discomfort and disorientation resulting from the realities of the world we live in and the limitations and lack that we face.

And then there is this vase of water, right smack in the center. It feels so unlikely. And yet so desperately needed. The vases shaped with the top lip, extending outwards, allows for a greater amount of water to be collected and resembles open arms, reaching upward to the heavens. It not only points to the concept of openness, but also of worship and praise, suggesting a desire or reaching for the sacred and heavenly even while being on the ground.

I was able to meet and speak with the artist, .richmond, who was present at the opening night at the museum. He spoke about his process of going out into the desert where the ground is dry and cracking and waiting for the rain with vases to catch the water. As I think about a vase collecting rainwater in the desert, it’s ironic that the entire ground receives the rainwater on its surface, but only within this container that is collecting, holding, storing, and treasuring the valuable resource is the water accessible. I believe God‘s love, mercy, and goodness can be found everywhere and is given in abundance, but this painting reminds me that it is my choice within the container of my body and mind, my soul, my life, and the time which I am trusted with to receive what is available and to use, remember, implement, appreciate, and value what is given.

The painting, therefore, is a call for me to hold. To partake and cherish and appreciate, even when it feels so unlikely that such a precious, needed resource might be possible and accessible as a solution.

(Continued in the comments)

“No Trespassing” 8x8.

I love this old garage with a no trespassing sign. It’s actually on the property of my husband‘s cousin’s home .allen.7165 in Spring City where we are visiting this week. It causes me to think about our need for privacy and how inspired I am when others open up and share their lives, their home, and their resources. We have learned so much and been very inspired from the Allen family and I hope that I can relate this level of openness and generosity to others.