In the Blue Sky of the Red Mother

Gleaning words from old writing, I came across the title of this painting.

I wanted to know who the Red Mother was, what she looked like, and what the significance of her blue sky was. 

This is what I found out:

The sky is an emanation of her.

She is like the sunset, red with that burning light.

She is the full moon, pregnant with the sun’s light.

She creates the serenity of the sky from her being.

In the Blue Sky of the Red Mother, watercolours and gouache on gesso prepared paper (2020)

The Wild Nun: The Path of Illness

For a few short years I thought I knew the path I was walking. 

Now, that time of grace long gone, the way is not so clear. 

I keep walking anyway. 

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Every now and then there appear bright spots in the gloom, gifts from Source that bloom into being, and my wellspring fills and then overflows. 

These blessed moments nourish my dark depths during spells of creative and spiritual drought, those unavoidable elements of the climate of chronic illness.

 

Waratahs in the mist

Words and images from my Instagram project @the_wild_nun