Thank You Georgia

30" x 24" / acrylic on canvas / 2006 / sold

As I stood in front of the original paintings of Georgia O’Keefe, I felt something deep inside of me begin to tremble, shake, and break free. I am not exactly sure what it was that became dislodged on that day. What I know is that as I stood in the gallery among other witnesses to the beauty of her creations, I had no words. I was overwhelmed by the energy that emanated from the canvas, by the honesty and beauty of the expression of her soul. I stood silently transfixed, while tears welled in my eyes and slipped down my cheeks. I was in the presence of her prayers and her experience of the mystery. The sacredness of the communion that had occurred  in order to bring these images to life was alive and deeply powerful. 

Georgia’s presence followed me around for quite some time after this experience. A book on someone’s coffee table. A print on an office wall. A mention in my daily reading. One day as I was in my garden, I became

enamored by the vibrant orange flame of a tiger lily.  The closer I looked, the more transfixed and amazed I became. I spent the day getting to know the inhabitants of my garden in a way that I had previously not been able to. The four centers of the tree flowers in the painting are a few of the friends and their spirits that I encountered on that day. 

The painting is in no way an attempt to paint in the same voice or manner as Georgia O’Keefe. It is my own expression of an experience that I feel she was somehow a partner and privy too, and it is an appreciation and gratitude for what she and the beings she communicated with shared with this world. It is also in appreciation for the knowledge that she awakened in me.  The understanding that through creation and expression of our truth, we have the opportunity to stir, communicate and awaken mystery in others.

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