Sunbather

Sunbather

Acrylic on canvas, 4 x 4 x 2 inches. $55.00

Hello. I painted this charming little bird last summer. Relaxing has always been a little hard for me. Even when I appear to be relaxing, my mind is usually in some kind of dither over what I should be doing, what I want to do next, where I should be going, oh, and --isn't that a weed that needs pulling over there? Several years ago, I decided to set a goal of doing absolutely nothing for five minutes. Five Whole Minutes! Impossible. No reading, ruminating, or, renovating. Well, last summer, I was finally able to go out on my deck, recline on my chaise lounge, and just do nothing. It was during those times that I became most in touch with nature and particularly my backyard birds. In the beginning, all I saw was a flock of something or others. Over time I learned that the "yellow guys" were in fact our state bird, the American Goldfinch, and that the delightful little black and white birds, that come back to my bird house every year, are Black-capped Chickadees. I also learned that if you look closely enough, they each have their own personalities and that their relationships with each other are complex and fascinating. They have a lot to teach. "Sunbather" was so content and happy in her moments in the sun. I am learning to be the same.

Penelope.