~The Messenger~
oil/canvas 24″x30″ (click on image to enlarge)
Man is the messenger
who
forgot the message.
~Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972)
Hello everyone I hope your week was a pleasant one! I don’t think this will be a long post, but we’ll see what evolves. eh,eh,eh
Isn’t this simply a divine quote! Oh how I love quotes….such little jewels of wisdom they are! As for the painting, it’s one I started a long time ago, and I wasn’t quite happy with it. Yesterday, I was working on a little rose painting and this painting keep catching my eye. So I put the little rose painting aside for another day, because I knew it was time to revisit The Messenger. I went back into a few areas, and I think I’m happy with it now..well…possibly, maybe.
There is a secret in it…can you see it? If you enlarge it you may be able to see easier. :)
You have and will see a lot of crows in my work…and of course, the skeleton key. You’ve seen the same key a lot too…like in the symbolic self portrait The Key (top right). I can’t remember if I told you, I imagined a skeleton key and then painted it, only to find the exact key in the old house..buried in a pile of trash!! It has an upside down heart in it, but I doubt you can see it in this image. I promise you, the key story ’tis true!!
Hmmm…
a “buried message” from myself…
possibly, maybe.
I wish I had time to write about my feelings concerning the quote, but I don’t. :( We are heading down to Drayton Island in a bit to work on the old house. This quote could be about SO many things. I know some of the meanings for me, and I hope you will ponder on what it means to you.
Are you listening to your heart messages?
So enough about the quote and the piece. Here is something I promised in the last post to find out for us:
Remember my Grandmother’s party was on Saturday, though she officially turned 101 on Friday the 13th! I promised to ask her if she had any advice for us. I kept my promise, and this is what she said:
“I have always looked ahead, and every day I am excited about what is next.
I have always been full of curiosity..and I still am!
I see a lot of messages in that do you? Mind you, she’s had a lot of hardships and tragedies in her life. She also rode in a horse drawn wagon to see her Grandmother…so you can imagine the changes she has seen in her world!!
One more thing:
Now those of you that have gotten to know me, know I love a good dry sense of humor. Her other advice may explain where I got it. She also said she thinks her longevity has to do with salt (yes, salt). She said when she was younger (about 90) her doctor lectured her, telling her she needed to cut back on her salt intake. She raised her eyebrow (something else I inherited) and said to her “young” doctor (probably about 60)…
“I do use a lot of salt, but salt is a preservative,. Did you ever consider that may be why I am still here?”
She said he never brought it up again. Again, true story!
Do you suppose this may be why I like salt on watermelon, salt on grapefruit, salt on oranges, salt on cantaloupe, etc? Apparently unbeknownest to me, I have been working on preservation! :)
I wanted to put a little picture of her on here, but for some reason after wordpress changed the format I’ve had trouble posting more than one picture on a post. I am almost certain the problem lies with me…such a pitiful technically challenged soul, I am. I’ll see if it works later.
Well, I lied this is NOT short, and there is so much more i would like to say, but duty calls. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Like my Grandmother and Alice in Wonderland,
I am curiouser and curiouser!!
Love, Light, and Peace of Heart to all,
~gypsy-he♥rt
Ps This is for those of you asking about prints..everyone else just skip this part.
I don’t like to talk about the business side of art on here, but I do want to tell you that I am working on offering smaller giclee prints and less expensive non-giclee prints. They will be excellent quality too. So I will have the details on “the art gallery and information” page/link on here very soon. Maybe Sunday. I really really don’t like the business side of this….oops I take that back. Think positive g-♥, think positive….I love the business side of this! :O ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WOW! I love this painting! Crows and ravens are my favorite birds.
I love the quote, as well!
Jeez! It seems like every time you post a new piece of art, I learn something new.. about myself! Your art speaks to a very deep part of me, and I thank you for that!!!
Thank you Rachel! I love crows and ravens too! Such beautiful colors within their blackness.
It makes my heart very happy if something in my work speaks to you. Art is most certainly an unwritten language…a language of the heart I think. :)
I love that painting – the bird and the key and it just speaks to me :) !
SALT ON CANTALOUPE IS YUMMY, AND YOUR GRANDMOTHER SOUNDS LIKE A WONDERFUL WOMAN.
Thank you Annie…I’m so glad!
Yes it is yummy. She is quite a character that Grandmother of mine!! As she often says “she is a tough ole’ bird”…had to be to survive all she has! I think I inherited her stubbornness. eh,eh,eh
Emma liked finding the face on the moon! It is gorgeous and I like what your Grandmother said too! I like to put salt on watermelon too!!
Love,
Christy
Thank you Christy! Please tell Emma that she was the first to mention the face in the moon! :)
I had watermelon this afternoon…with salt of course! hee, hee
Good Evening Dearest Gypsy-Heart~
I’m sitting here sipping my evening glass of Pinot Noir and thoroughly enjoying this post!
So much here!
First…the painting is AMAZING! I don’t know whether I’ve ever shared this with you, but the CROW is my favorite bird. I’ve always been very attracted to them. They seem so incredibly WISE and BALLSY!
I’m also very attracted to the moon, so this piece really touches me.
I DID enlarge the photo and discovered the key. What a fabulous story you share about that!!
Your grandmother sounds like someone who I would love to meet. And her “life advice” is very enlightening.
(especially about the salt…tee, hee!)
That’s FUNNY! But when you think about it…it’s SO true…it IS a preservative…so why not?
I’ve always enjoyed hanging out with elderly folk. I love to listen to their life stories!
Hey…and GOOD FOR YOU starting to offer your PRINTS!!! I’m so excited for you! This will be a wonderful way for you to spread all that awesome “Gypsy-Heart Energy” around!
Thanks for sharing such a “chockful of love” post, dear one!
Thank you!
Enjoy your weekend on the island!
Now ’tis I that bids you a good evening! I am going to have my glass of merlot in a bit. You know I just read somewhere that Pinot Noir is the healthiest wine you can drink. Have you read that too or do you just like it? I’ve had it when eating out and enjoyed it, but some reason I have never bought any…maybe I will.
I think I do remember your fondness of crows…and you are so right about their personalities!
I love elderly people too…I always have!
My Grandmother is slipping away a little now..as if part of her is already on the other side. She comes and goes..I think she does not want to let go of us. If you had met her a few years ago she would have welcomed you with open arms. Everyone called her Grandma!
Thank you for being you Ron dear heart…you are always so kind and encouraging. I love your energy!!!
wonderful! I see the face below the yellow!
I was thinking of painting a black bird, crow or raven, last week but it changed into all kinds of things!
very inspirational work *happy*
Ah..you made my heart smile.
Yes the face…a familiar face to ME. hee, hee.
Your work is magical..I am sure when it is time for a black bird, crow, or raven to appear they will!
*happy* is a good thing..I like that. :)
I love the fact that with this painting you sent a message to yourself with the key. How magical and amazing!
It’s a neat painting, and it was clearly trying to tell you something. Good luck figuring it out.
This was wonderful!
Thank you Rhea you are most kind!
I love the energy at your site…I told you if I were to be a child again..I would want you to adopt me!! :)
You are beautiful!!! Loved everything about this post… from quotes, to painting, to grandma… When I come here and read your beautiful words and gaze upon your art… you make a bad day alright… thank you from the bottom of my heart…
‘Tis I that thanks you Enreal…you’ve made my day!
I always love going to your site…it is a spiritual shot in the heart for me!
Good evening Gypsy Heart. Is that the man in the moon I seen in that painting? It is a very lovely piece – I feel there is a wonderful mystery entrenched within the paint strokes. More than what you’ve revealed! Thanks for sharing your mystical side and thanks for being. Peace, Light and Love, CordieB.
Thank you CordieB..you are always so kind!
That is a face in the moon! :) Yes, many things left unsaid. hee, hee.
Peace, Light, and Love to you too!
Too funny – I just love your bouncy energy re: the biz side, I would LOVE to know if you are participating in any fun art shows! This is on my ‘list of things to do this year’ – go travel to fun cities with art shows…
Thank you C…sometimes my energy is lacking…but I am not a quitter! Stubborn I am!
I decided to take a little break from shows, but as you will see in my next post…not totally.
I am looking forward to reading about your travels!
Oh, how I love reading your posts! What glorious wisdom in this one and what beautiful art!
Ahhh…April that makes me very happy if you find some connections here. ‘Tis what is all about for me! :)
I love this quote and the advice that your grandparent shared! Very wise! The good news is that the message is not lost, simply it is tangled in a web of untruths.
Thank you Mark.
Yes, that is good news…life changing news for me! :)
I can’t get past the beginning, man has forgotten the message. I am dogged by this, knowing, it is not so much learning, as the unforgetting that sets me on my path. Thank you so much Gypsy for your soulful reminder.
Blessings.
S.E.
I agree S.E. ….I am on the same path!
Blessings to you too!
I just wrote to someone about Symbolist art. Yours is definitely Symbolist. That is what keeps me coming back to see what you have done next. This is a good piece. I have a strong reaction to the movement of the line.
Thanks for your comments on my blogs recently. It is always a treat to know you are looking at my posts.
Thank you Sandra.
I didn’t know there was such a genre, but I know you would know. I very much admire your knowledge and respect your critique!
It would seem that a lot of my work would be Symbolist Art…I have to confess, I even think in symbols. hee, hee
I enjoy your blog…in fact, yours was one of the first I discovered and may be the very first I put on the blog roll! I’ll be over there in a bit.
Wonderful painting! (always had a soft spot for yellow and blue combinations) – and what was even more interresting is that Your key is the spitting image of a key belonging to an old cupboard carpented my my mothers grandfather and THAT key he once upon a long ago brought with him from the U.S where he was working in his youth! I’m now the owner of this cupboard, I treasure it dearly and keep beautiful items in it, such as candles, candeleers… just in case the light of the moon would need some warmth, company and support… ;-)
Thank you Anni!
That is wild about the key…you and I seem to have a LOT of connections…eh?? Including our love of the moon! :)
First off GH, I want to again express my love for your paintings. Your verbiage tells me you set a real high standard for your work, and “Messenger” clearly reflects that.
Although your grandmother has clocked more than a century on this Earth, she sounds as if she has the spirit of a woman decades younger. How wonderful!
I love her anecdotes.
Thank you for your kind and inspiring words Glenn!
My Grandmother always seemed younger. In fact, she used to tell us “your as young as you feel in your heart!”
Here’s to all the “young at heart”…including you, my talented journalist friend!
This is gorgeous! Ravens are my favorite….and I love the hidden face. Such inspiring quotes too. I especially love your grandmothers take on salt! :)
Have a wonderful time on the island……
Thank you Kalliope dear heart!! I knew you would SEE the face.
Yes, I like her take on salt too!
hehe I LOVE salt…Sea Salt…TOO! on just about everything! mmmmmm
you might find this interesting, Ms. G.H.: From the Animal Medicine cards: http://peacefulrivers.homestead.com/animalcard24.html
Imagining the key or having a moment of precognition? :) Your paintings themselves are powerful messages, yet so gently rendered. They’re to be seen with the eyes of the spirit as well as the eyes of the body.
Beautiful as always…Namaste!
Thank you dear Grace…you are always so kind and a source of inspiration and knowledge!!
I looked at the sight, and it was extremely interesting! Thank you for sharing it.
I had to look up precognition! :O Hmmm…could be…that happens once in a while. :)
I like that..seeing with eyes of the spirit! May we all strive for such..for that is really SEEING..eh?
Namaste’ to you too!
Hello there, Gypsy-he♥rt :] I love the painting! There’s something about the crow, the key, the moon and the face I see…I’ve yet to figure out why :]
And I love your grandmother’s wise words too :] I must make my way here often. It is a great pleasure reading your posts.
Hello to you Glaize!
Thank you. I am so happy that you feel a connection! Sometimes we don’t know why do we…no matter as long as it speaks to you. Often, the heart can grasp what the mind cannot. :)
I hope you will come back often. I visited your site and it is wonderful! So I’ll be by to read your latest thoughts soon.
Hey suz, I love the crow. I enlarged him but couldn’t find the message, although your post had plenty. Ah yes, listening to my heart. I am, actually, and I need to. It’s hard to do, isn’t it? Not for your grandmother, and thank you for passing on her messages.
I love the salt comment she made to her doctor. It *is* a preservative!! I like it, too.
Thank you ybonesy! The message is the key itself…the key for opening our own heart. You are so right it is hard to do at times!
The little secret was the face in the moon…’tis a VERY familiar face to me. :)
So glad you enjoyed my Grandmother’s thoughts. She still eats her salt..and sometimes she has ice cream for dinner…at 101 I say go for it. Whatever makes her happy…besides it’s a calcium source!
Yes, my
Hey Aunt Sue! I tried emailing but you didn’t write back! I have a friend who is doing a benefit for Cystic Fibrosis. They’re having a dinner and silent auction. She asked me if I knew of any artists who would be willing to donate artwork for the auction and I immediately thought of you. It’s going to be on July 10th, which is short notice I know. So I understand if you don’t have the time, email me at SealItsGills@yahoo.com
Love, Caity
P.S. I love and Miss you and I always enjoy reading your blogs.
Hey Love…what a nice morning surprise! I answered your email immediately responding using the reply from your email so I don’t know what happened. I re-sent it a few minutes ago so see if you received it…could it have gone to spam?
I wrote you about the charity….it is very short notice and my printer is flying out to California in the morning. :O Some of the prints I have are going in a show, but I do have a couple on hand that might work. I need more info though.
So check your email again. I have to go across the river for errands, but will look to see if I heard from you when I return.
We must figure all this out so we can stay in touch!!
Love, Light, and Laughter to you and yours!
~AS
GH:
Is there any way I can create a print of that painting? Out of all your work, it is the clear favorite for me. I would love to hang it in my home.
So glad you like it Glenn! I will email you soon. :)
I don’t get the quote – I need stuff explained to me. But, I can use my imagination for the painting – I see the moon sending a blue crow with the key to unlock control of the tides.
Signed,
Whiffledust Blower
Hello Bill…don’t worry about the quote. Besides it can mean whatever one wants it to mean…even nothing!
I like what your imagination sees…
“the moon sending a blue crow with the key to unlock control of the tides.”
That is beautiful..and you surprised me with that! So there is another side to you! :)
I appreciate all your love you send my way :)
You are loved by MANY, Kaylee!! You are my hero!
Awww i am your hero? Never been told that before! am honored!
Yes you are! I’ve know few adults that could go through what you have…yet you show strength, wisdom, and even a sense of humor during your battle against cancer.
You have taught us so much…YOU are an inspiration and your light shines my dear!
I am looking forward to reading about your coming adventures, because I have no doubt you will be a force to reckon with…a powerful, good force!!
I think you should write a book someday! :
Sending you love and healing energies!
The paintings are brilliant, as are the quotations , this especially spoke to me …
Man is the messenger who forgot the message. ~Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972)
I’m adopting this for a future blog :) .. Thank you!
Hello Mental Mist!
Thank you for leaving such a kind note! So glad you felt a connetion here.
Heschel’s quote is powerful isn’t it…his words spoke to me too! :)
Good energies to you!