Slow seasons, peonies and letters
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” ~ Rilke
This spring is teaching me all over again about embracing seasons and letting them unfold as they may. We've been having such a beautiful slow spring. The one that didn't rush from 40F to 80F in a day. The one where magnificent magnolias were blooming for several weeks and the unexpected frost that usually cuts it short didn’t come. The one where I had to turn on my heat back on just a week ago because I finally said 59F in the house is a little chilly even for me. She is taking her time, making sure that we enjoy the beautiful in between, no rush, no explanation...
Still waiting for most of my still small peony buds to start unfurling their gentle petals… Except for one rebellious plant. This morning it decided to surprise me with the display of pink yellow beauty overnight.
Nature is the best artist and teacher, it doesn’t rush yet accomplishes everything. It doesn’t apologize of its timing, it lets its beauty speak for itself.
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” ~ Rilke
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Art update:
Last weekend, I had a small art pop up at a friend’s house who loves my art and has bought several paintings for her house. She was having a party and wanted to give other people an opportunity to see my art. It made me feel so special how excited she is about my art. I was extremely grateful. As I was setting up a display, I was a bit nervous as I usually am, whether it is a small pop up or a gallery, trying to carefully curate which art pieces would go well in this particular situation. Of course, I want everyone to have a positive experience with every single painting I chose to bring.
And I also remind myself that when I go to the museum or a gallery show, I come up to paintings that draw me in, where something in it speaks to me beyond just “nice colors” or “beautiful landscape”, something in me wants to know more. This art pop up was a small experiment for me to observe others and myself, to notice, to see how I feel about my art. And it gave me ideas on what to paint next, and I’m excited about that.
Part of the art pop up display last weekend
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Letters:
And now, a follow up on my post about “The dying art of handwritten letters”. It sparked quite a lot of conversations, there will be more posts about it. For now, here is a fun project for those who know how to read cursive and want to combine letter reading with a little mystery or learn more about history. Library of Congress is looking for virtual volunteers to help transcribe the library of Congress documents. “Volunteers create and review transcriptions to improve search, access, and discovery of these pages from history” This is one way to ensure everyone can have access to documents, even if they cannot read cursive, and make sure history is preserved. It feels like a treasure hunt and mystery and learning all at the same time. Imagine transcribing new pages of an american poet Walt Whitman or a political thinker Hannah Arendt.
You can check it out here:
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As a reminder, I’m working on introducing a snail mail project with a twist. More details to come soon. In the meantime, I’d love to know if you keep a journal and if you want to write or receive letters. Imagine if you open your mailbox, and there is a letter addressed to you. I know it instantly brightens my day.
Thank you for your presence here and being a witness to my creative journey 🌸
with love,
Diana
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You can read one of my previous posts here:
Love notes from customers : ““I am fortunate enough to own several pieces by Diana. I receive frequent comments from guests on how beautiful they are. But what I love most about them is that every time I look at them, they are different. Depending on the lighting, the time of day, the weather, the music I’m listening to, the person I’m with, or even my own mood. I notice different details. But no matter what the circumstances, they always bring me joy. Thank you, Diana!”” ~ AH