ART makes life so much better

Art has made my life so beautiful in so many ways.  I hope you enjoy these photos and that they  bring a little beauty to your life today.

I've been an artist my entire life.  I began making art seriously at about 5 when I made my first collage of a strawberry ice cream cone out of colored paper.  It was a success.

Since then my art has primarily leaned towards the spiritual.  Large shrines, small shrines and sculptures.  The large shrines were like miniature renditions of Brunelleschi's altar at the Vatican.  At 3' high and 40 lbs, they are just too large and labor intensive for me to do anymore.  So my work has progressively gotten smaller and smaller.

Two madonnas :  One in shells and the other in paper.  Large pieces.  So, so fun to make!  Madonnas are, for me, about the sacredness of motherhood and the miracle of being a woman.


                                                                             

The back of her was completely covered with shells as well - so that the pink garland around her head continued.  About 30" high - it weighed 22 lbs.  This was purchased by a young man who came twice to look at it. (at that time I was selling in a beautiful shop that sadly doesn't exist anymore)  On the second visit he took a deep breath and said "Yes, I want it."  That was my happiest sale ever!  He sent it to his mother - all the way to the East coast where I am happy to say it arrived safely, not a single shell damaged! - it was her Mother's Day present.  It doesn't get any better than that!

This one I've shown before.  I'm still pondering a way to exhibit my work.  I'm thinking of opening an Etsy shop, but understanding shipping is like trying to read hieroglyphics...

                                                                             

She's 48"x24".... she has a presence!

And finally, here are a couple of small shell shrines that I've been doing recently - small is good too!

                                                                                

                                                                              

This one is a reliquary for  prayers for a baby.  Can you see him?  The shell in front is to hold written prayers or tiny momentos.

                                                                               

This one can have many purposes:  remembrance of a friend - prayers for the sick - etc.  It has a shell to hold items like the above one and the two opposing shells hold water for flowers.  This one hangs.

                                                                               

This one is a bit large, about 14" high. There is a vacant space on the large scallop in the center so that something can be inserted:  the picture of a loved one, a prayer or poem.



When I make art, the whole world disappears.  I hope you have something in your life too that takes you to a place of peace and joy.



Love, Liv

How to get out

                                                                            

                                                                 "The best way out
                                           
                                                                   is always through."


                                                                                            Robert Frost




                                                            
   

      *click on picture                            

My overarching theme

I keep trying and trying and trying - I am mostly a failure - but if I stop trying, the failure is too much.



Forgiveness is a mountain
I climb every day
I climb it until my fingers
need bandages
I'm always running out
of bandages


Forgiveness is like breakfast
I wake in the morning with a stomach ache
a bit of nausea
I know I should eat
I don't want to
it's always a struggle
I never like what I eat in the morning
it's always too harsh
I think breakfast should be clouds or gentle rain or a cool breeze
something that sits soft within me
but I make myself do it
I eat the food slowly to ease it's harshness
my body is better for it
I m stronger
I eat forgiveness for breakfast
my soul is better for it
I am stronger


Forgiveness is bitter
I recoil from it's smell
it's bitterness makes me gag
I swallow it
the next day I swallow it again
and then again
pretty soon it's not so bad
each day it's bitterness wanes a bit
after some time
I begin to taste a sweetness behind the bitter
I'm used to it now
some days I even crave it
the bitter sweetness
of forgiving


Forgive my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me -
so hard and so simple and so hard
 ©