ABUNDANCE

2023 was an amazing year and one word kept popping into my mind as we went from one event, one celebration, one project  to the next, and that word was abundance.  The year included a trip to Italy, an art show in Anchorage, reunions with old friends, a backpacking trip in the Trinity Mountains with part of the family, cabin time with more family, an art show with my husband, a wonderful painter,  at Highland Art Center in Weaverville, and an artistic highlight and challenge to create art for a 10x20 foot mural at Gold Ridge Organic Farms.

We are fortunate to live in Sonoma Valley, a temperate region of farms, wineries, orchards with hiking trails all around the hills.  So when I was asked to come up with an idea for the mural, I realized it should be about this abundant time in our life as well as the area we live in. 

This piece will be reproduced and installed on the wall in the tasting room at Gold Ridge, and the original  is going to a wonderful collector's home next month.  As part of  my series, Woman and Fox, A Journey, it gave me a chance to explore the abundance of our world and of my life at this particular stage, but also to  spend many days with the knowledge that my life  is good.  And sometimes that is hard to admit.  I am working on that, on not qualifying how good life is at this moment with reasons it is not perfect, or with apologies about my own imperfections or not doing enough to solve the world's problems.  

Woman and Fox are at peace in the 'tree of life' with all they have been given.  At the end of last year and as this new year begins, I want to maintain that gratitude, awareness and contentment knowing that it will be a thought others can share.  Here is to a broader picture of 2024, to thoughts and images we can carry in our mind to lift our spirits and those of others.  Happy New Year.