Dark defines Light

Watercolor

The dark does not destroy the light; 
it defines it. 

It's our fear of the dark that casts our joy 

into the shadows.

— Brené Brown (The Gifts of Imperfection)

Sharing at PaintPartyFriday

 

...for always and always

(study in DS shadow violet)

“When the Man waked up he said, ‘What is Wild Dog doing here?’
And the Woman said, 

‘His name is not Wild Dog any more,
but the First Friend,
because 

he will be our friend 

for always 

and always 

and always.'”
—Rudyard Kipling 

voice of silence

watercolor

"When they are 

silent

they 

cry out."

-Cicero

Sharing at PaintPartyFriday

through the shadows

watercolor

“You can only come to the morning through the shadows.” 

― J.R.R. Tolkien

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looking...

watercolor

“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. 
You certainly usually find something,
 if you look, 
but it is not always quite the something you were after.” 

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

broken whole

“...if you could make a beautiful piece of art 
from discarded newspapers 
and old matchbooks, 
[and shattered smartphone screens]

then it meant that 
everything 
had 
potential. 

And maybe people were like collages-
no matter how 
broken 

or 
useless 
we felt, 

we were 

an 

essential 
part 
of 
the 
whole.
We mattered.”
― Heather Demetrios, I'll Meet You There 

collage

repurposed smartphone pieces on wood panel

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Portrait of a Lady Study#1

watercolor

Lavinia Baker

widow of Frazier Baker

 “...this woman, 

moved by some private sorrow as much as the words being spoken, 

cried almost silently, 

unobserved by others, 

apart from Mma Ramotswe, 

who stretched out her hand and laid it on her shoulder.

 Do not cry, Mma,

 she began to whisper, 

but changed her words even as she uttered them,

 and said quietly, 

Yes, you can cry, Mma. 

We should not tell people not to weep - 

we do it because of our sympathy for them - 

but we should really tell them 

that their tears 

are justified 

and entirely right.” 

― Alexander McCall Smith, Double Comfort Safari Club

sharing at PaintPartyFriday

leaving town...

A true story...115 years ago...

watercolor

How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.

-Marcus Aurelius

Inhumanity is harmful in every age.

- Cicero

read more...

sharing at 

paintpartyfriday 

hindsight

"In nature nothing exists alone."

"By acquiescing in an act that causes such suffering to a living creature,

 who among us is not diminished?"

"The question is whether any civilization 

can wage relentless war on life 

without destroying itself, 

and without losing the right to be called civilized." 

"Until we have the courage to recognize cruelty for what it is 

-- whether its victim is human or animal -- 

we cannot expect things to be much better in this world. 

We cannot have peace among men whose hearts delight in killing any living creature. 

By every act that glorifies 

or even tolerates 

such moronic delight in killing, 

we set back the progress of humanity."

― Rachel Carson

watercolor

sharing at paintpartyfriday 

Festina lente

watercolor and ink

Hasten slowly.
~Augustus 

Sharing at paintpartyfriday 

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood...

watercolor and ink

While shepherds watched

their flocks by night

All seated on the ground

The angel of the Lord came down,

and glory shone around

"Fear not!" said he for mighty dread

Had seized their troubled minds

"Glad tiding of great joy I bring

To you and all mankind..."

~Andrew Peterson, Behold the Lamb of God

Merry Christmas!

sharing at PPF

some days just are like that...

watercolor and ink

[One look in these eyes will tell you that] 
It has been a terrible, 
horrible, 
no good, 
very bad 
day.
Mom says some days just are like that.
Even in Australia.

~Judith Viorst, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

in spite of ourselves

watercolor

for marji

“The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved -

 loved for ourselves, 

or rather, 

loved in spite of ourselves.” 

― Victor Hugo

sharing at paintpartyfriday and artist'splayroom

growing up

“They keep coming up new all the time - 

things to perplex you, you know.

 

You settle one question 

and there's another right after. 

There are so many things 

to be thought over and decided

 when you're beginning to grow up.

It keeps me busy all the time 

thinking them over 

and deciding what's right. 

 It's a serious thing to grow up, isn't it, Marilla?” 

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Sharing at

artistsplayroom

paintpartyfriday

now I know in part, but then...

watercolor

“Shall I tell you the secret of the whole world? 

It is that we have only known the back of the world. 

We see everything from behind, and it looks brutal. 

That is not a tree, but the back of a tree. 

That is not a cloud, but the back of a cloud. 

Cannot you see that everything is stooping and hiding a face? 

If we could only get round in front--” 

― G.K. Chesterton, The Man Who Was Thursday

Sharing at 
Artist'sPlayRoom
PaintPartyFriday

Tea for Tracey

watercolor

in honor of Trace

who is not an elephant, 

but enjoys her tea in an enormous way

while blending 

humour, sincerity, thoughtfulness, courage and authenticity

into one phenomenal friend

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit [her].” 

― C.S. Lewis

watercolor

“What kind of tea do you want?"

"There´s more than one kind of tea?...What do you have?"

"Let´s see... 
Blueberry, Raspberry, Ginseng, 
[Vegemite Delight, Marmite Mutilation, 
Lychee with Jacaranda Blooms,] 
Sleepytime, Green Tea, Green Tea with Lemon, Green Tea with Lemon and Honey, Liver Disaster, 
Ginger with Honey, Ginger Without Honey, 
[Karyn Happy Feet Blend, Phantom Fabuleaves, 
Sinus Super Brew, Mushu Magic Sip], 
Vanilla Almond, White Truffle Coconut, 
[Wig with Hip, Mohawk Moments], 
Chamomile, Blueberry Chamomile, Decaf Vanilla Walnut, 
[Winsor and Newtea, Read-a-Metre Blend], 
Constant Comment and Earl Grey."

-"I.. Uh...What are you having?... Did you make some of those up?”

― Bryan Lee O'Malley, Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life

[and some obvious ad libs:-)]

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"Tea for Tracey"

deny not the tears

“Cry, child, for those without tears have grief which never ends.” 
― Mexican saying

watercolor

"Don't ever discount the wonder of your tears.

They can be healing waters and a stream of joy.

Sometimes they are the best words the heart can speak."

― Wm. Paul Young

artistplayroom

paintpartyfriday

I have seen...I have listened...I have learned...

watercolor

“Wisdom comes with winters” 

― Oscar Wilde

PaintPartyFriday

through the eyes...

 watercolor

“What is that you express in your eyes? 
It seems to me more than all the print I have read in my life.” 
― Walt Whitman

sharing at ppf and apr

to lock or to love...?

 

watercolor
image credit: Jess @ paintmyphoto

“To love at all is to be vulnerable.

 Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. 

If you want to make sure of keeping it intact 
you must give it to no one, 

not even an animal. 

Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries;

 avoid all entanglements. 

Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. 

But in that casket, 

safe, dark, motionless, airless, 

it will change. 

It will not be broken; 

it will become 
unbreakable, 

impenetrable, 

irredeemable. 

To love is to be vulnerable.” 

― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

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