Mid-Summer Painting, Heatwaves and Flying Work-of-art
The Summer reaches that pivotal point of harvest and plenty, richness and gold, in a blaze of glory – our fourth heatwave this year. The hay meadows aren’t cut yet but as soon as my neighbouring farmer sees a likely few days of dry weather ahead, they will be. The trees, because we’ve had lots of rain in between the sunshine, are emerald green with touches of lime. The flowers in the garden (as a friend said “if you can call it a garden!” along with the fields around are blooming abundantly. At last – where have they been? – there are plenty of butterflies, bees, beetles and flies buzzing and doing aerobatics all around. All is well with the wildlife here in this valley and forest.
The only sadness for me was last week when the lambs that have been helping their mums keep the grass short in the ponies’ fields were moved elsewhere to wean them. They’re not mine, but I still felt like a traitor when the ewes returned with only one or no offspring to care for any more. But only a day went by before they stopped fretting and they’d had a good long time together for in this part of the country they lamb early in February so they’d had many months to roam together.
I’ve been painting abundantly too. I didn’t do as much last year but at Christmas gave myself a talking to and decided to get back into gear. Getting back in full-flowing motion with my paintings and sales has felt really good and many of you my lovely buyers have been amazingly supportive in starting or adding to your collections of my work and often sending me truly inspiring messages.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all. You mean the world to me. Fortunately – as you can tell I expect!! – I’m not one of those tortured artists who paint in misery and conflict. I do it because I love it. Because it gives others as well as me pleasure. And, in the words of Bob Geldof, ‘because I can.’
Let’s all – whether you have a great genius or vocation like the world’s benefactors and philanthropists or, like me, a simple flair for something you love doing that shares the love and happiness with others – let’s all work and indeed play with conviction, as much energy as we can muster, and as much love as we can put into it. Remember, even a helping hand, a smile or a friendly word, can make a huge difference to someone.
We are all part of the rainbow. We are all part of the light.
Don’t worry, I won’t ever get up-myself because I have friends who though very dear to me nevertheless delight in making sure I won’t with wry comments like a sarcastic “Saint Jenny!” or “Monet Jenny”.
Well – I do my best but I will never be that because I’m a mixture, as I guess nearly all of us are, of good and bad, ability and ineptitude. But yes, I do love to help others to be happy. To share the joy. I showed the postman this morning the most beautiful beetle in the front yard. “Look,” I said “A work of art. I go round in a state of wonder at how amazing Nature is.” He looked a bit surprised but went off a bit happier than he’d arrived, a smile on his face where there hadn’t been.
That’s all we need to do. Share the way . . .
Federer said yesterday after winning his record breaking 8th Wimbledon championship, that if we believe we can go far.
Yes. Believe in yourself!
Painting now. Not outside in the garden as too many flying works of art would land in the paint. But inside, in the cool. I have three backgrounds ready. If I’m pleased with the finished paintings and best of all if they make my spirits sing, I will list them this week. I hope they will make your spirits sing too!
With love and light, Jenny
