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16/4/2023 0 Comments Amazon Woman I have wanted to create this piece for a while now. It’s based on a wonderful synchronicity. Let me tell you the story… It was a beautiful summer’s day last July when I went to Herbert Park Market in Ballsbridge, Dublin with a great friend who has hugely supported me through the last year of breast cancer. There’s a farmer’s market there, with some gorgeous craft stalls too. We visited the market and were then walking along by the lake chatting. I noticed a woman sitting on a bench with a very beautiful bow and arrow. It really caught my attention. Interrupting our conversation, I stopped and asked the woman about it. She told me it was her sons, and that the man who makes them normally has a stall at the market. It was an interesting exchange. We continued on our way and had a really pleasant day. When I got home that evening, I opened Facebook and went onto one of the breast cancer groups I am a part of. The first post on the wall was from a woman who, like me, had just had a single mastectomy. She stated that her brother is a mythologist and had told her the story of the Lampedo or Amazon, which she thought would be a comfort to many of the women. The myth says that the Amazons were the most powerful women ever. In the ancient times, they were said to be a tribe of independent, mighty women. The right breast of these warrior women would be removed so that they could achieve excellence at drawing a bow and arrow. The left breast would remain for nurturing their children whom they fiercely protected. It was a beautiful moment for me having such a strong synchronicity. I had goosebumps ripple through me. The experience really helped me accept the surgery I had gone through and also to be brave in fighting for the rights and safety of my daughter. So I wanted to paint this Amazon woman wielding her bow and arrow. When I began creating it, it was daylight in the painting. (you can see below) That night I had a dream of being in a beautiful park at night time with the most stunning almost surreal purple and pink flowers with green foliage that stood illumined in the moonlight. So the next day, I began changing the painting to a night time scene with the flowers, foliage and the moon. And now yet another synchronicity as I write this blog…I literally just came upon this article when looking up Amazon women: “The moon, since time immemorial, has been the symbol of everything that is feminine and beautiful. The Amazons were not just beautiful women who led an untamed life. They also used to worship the moon. Their name may have resulted from contact with the ancient Circassians who were known to worship the moon too. The word Amazon in the ancient Circassian language meant "moon-mother" or "mother of the forest". Love it!! She is for all women. For women who have or are going through breast cancer and have fought or are fighting so bravely. For mothers everywhere who defend and protect the safety of their children. She is WOMAN!!! And she is strong! The painting measures 70cm x 70cm, acrylic and metallic pens on deep edge Italian canvas. She costs €980 and as always I am open to you paying in instalments if that works best for you. If you would like to give her a forever home, email me at peace@healingcreations.ie I will be creating limited edition prints of this piece and it would be a lovely gift for any woman going through breast cancer or for any woman wanting to embody the energy of the Amazon woman!
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24/10/2022 0 Comments DreamTime: Astral Mystery “To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour.” William Blake This piece has taken a few weeks to complete. I have called it DreamTime: Astral Mystery. It was a very powerful and a very loving piece to create and I think in many ways, it harks back to a dream that I had a few years ago. In this dream, I became lucid. At the moment in the dream that I became conscious that I was in the dream state, instead of waking up which often happens, I was able to stay in the dream and to consciously go down the stairs, open my front door and fly up and out between dimensions it seemed! I flew...or to describe it better, more like a rushing feeling went through me. I zoomed down to the tiniest most exquisite details of moss that was growing in the lawn. The patterns were simply exquisite and it's hard to describe the beauty. It was as though I was looking at it under a microscope. I don't know how much time I spent there. Time seemed irrelevant or non-existent. And then just as easily I flew/rushed up and out around planets and stars, with the earth behind me…it was such a euphoric feeling and extraordinarily beautiful! I felt a part of it all, one with it all. Because we are! I’ve never forgotten that experience. It was a gift. I wasn’t smoking anything! I think interacting with sacred geometry opens a person up to such experiences…it really can be quite something! And while creating this piece, that dream kept coming back into my heart, mind and hands. The patterns echo the microscopic details that I saw, the flower of life pattern depicts the patterns found both within the microcosm and the macrocosm, the flowers and leaves represent the beauty of this world we live in and the dove flies between them all and out into the universe, bringing peace and unconditional love to all. I hope that wherever this piece ends up, that it brings that feeling of connection to the all, to the source energy and infinite intelligence of our universe. That it brings awareness of the greater patterns of life and of the universe and the utter mystery of it all. Often we want to know the whys, the hows of everything, but I think that this piece wants us to just simply be comfortable with the mystery that surrounds us. To allow it to unfold itself and to be at peace with it all. It was such a pleasure to create this piece. It measures 100cm x 100cm, acrylic metallic pens on Italian deep edge canvas. It is available for sale and costs €2200 and as always, I am always open to people paying in installments. Send me an email to peace@healingcreations.ie if you would like to give it its forever home. 21/6/2021 0 Comments Everything turns in circles and spirals with the cosmic heart until infinity: The Wisdom of the LotusIn this post, I'm sharing this recent piece which feels fiery and solar...and in the centre is the Lotus Flower, the symbol of transformation. The lotus begins it's growth deep in the dark murky depths of muddy waters. It works it's way up through this sludge to emerge above the surface as the stunning lotus flower that you see. Hence it is seen as a symbol for transformation. Change is often not easy. We have to work our way through situations and rid ourselves of what is no longer serving us or our families. A journey of transformation is certainly one worth taking, otherwise we remain stuck in the old, never moving forward. And this journey is ever repeating, bringing us nearer and nearer to light and authenticity. So don't be afraid of the mud. See it as the fertiliser that nourishes your growth. And when you are in bloom above the water, remember that this too is cyclical and that you will repeat this process over and over.
The geometry surrounding the Lotus Flower in this painting is called the Torus. I have worked with it so that it feels very three dimensional. The Toroidal energy field is the process by which all energy, when correctly aligned, is continually cycling up and down, in and out and around, between spirit and matter. The torus geometry represents the perfect flow of energy. If you are feeling stuck or stagnating in an area of your life, or need to get matters moving forward in a healthy manner, then incorporating the Torus geometry into your environment is very helpful. The same holds true if your land, home, office or job needs to be energised in a healthy manner. “Everything turns in circles and spirals with the cosmic heart until infinity. Everything has a vibration that spirals inward or outward — and everything turns together in the same direction at the same time. This vibration keeps going: it becomes born and expands or closes and destructs — only to repeat the cycle again in opposite current. Like a lotus, it opens or closes, dies and is born again. Such is also the story of the sun and moon, of me and you. Nothing truly dies. All energy simply transforms.” ― Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun It was such a pleasure to create this piece. It measures 70cm x 70cm, acrylic metallic pens on Italian deep edge canvas. It is available for sale and costs 890 Euro and as always, I am always open to people paying in instalments. Email me at peace@healingcreations.ie if you would like to give it its forever home. 13/3/2021 0 Comments Lunulae Today, I'm sharing with you a piece entitled 'Lunulae'. I created it late last year, having used my new found free time to learn about gold leaf and experimenting, seeing where it would lead. It was an absolute pleasure to create, working intuitively as I mostly do, but bringing in real gold. There is something utterly beautiful about using gold leaf...it is so delicate, your mere breath can have it all over the place! So you need to be ever so still, and focused...and that is pleasurable and calming. I love the way the light catches the gold, which has been sealed well to avoid tarnishing through oxidation. (Another thing I learned!) When it was finished, and I stepped back, I could see a Celtic Torc or Lunulae, a piece of pure gold ceremonial neckwear worn by my Celtic ancestors. Below, you can see what a torc looks like, some were simple and others more elaborate. The two beautiful pieces below are from the National Museum of Ireland collection. In Europe, the earliest evidence for goldworking dates to the fifth millennium BC. By the end of the third millennium goldworking had become well established in Ireland and Britain together with a highly productive copper and bronzeworking industry.
While we do not know precisely how the late Neolithic people of Ireland became familiar with metalworking, it is clear that it was introduced as a fully developed technique. Essential metalworking skills must have been introduced by people already experienced at all levels of production. I love how this creativity crossed cultures and became something new in Ireland. Just as we are heading into something new and unknown and we can do good with it, or not. We are in a place of potential, of choice. A birthing place and the labour pains can be difficult. We can see it as opportunity to grow and evolve into something better, rather than striving to clutch onto something that has passed. These pieces would have been very heavy around the neck and it is presumed that they were worn for ceremonial purposes. I can't help imagining the scenes....the cloaks and fabrics of the clothing these people wore, the ceremonies and rituals in which they engaged, the crackling of open fires and the whisper of the wind across a land that had yet to be tilled. I can feel these people's connection to the land and to the stars as is evidenced in the buildings of their time which were often aligned perfectly to the stars, from Newgrange to the stone circles....there was wisdom there. There was connection...and something else I cannot name. I recently found myself in the German soldier graveyard in Glencree, Co Wicklow, which is not far from me. It's a beautiful and serene place with a high energy and a grotto to the sacred feminine. This graveyard is for German soldiers who died in Ireland during both world wars, either through their planes crashing, or in British Prisoner of War Camps from WWI. I sat with them. We smoked a cigarette together. They are all aged between 19 and 24. Some mother's sons. It broke my heart. It was apparent looking at these stones, the absolute futility of war and how easily we can become divided through manipulation and ideology. I asked them for their wisdom too. In current times, it can be powerful and helpful to reflect on your ancestry, the many who have come before you, all they have lived through and survived. See them stand in a line behind you, stretching back as far as the eye can see. All of these spirits that came before us. Ask for their wisdom to come to you. On my YouTube channel 'Healing Creations' there is a free meditation on connecting to your ancestors if you would like to try it. This piece 'Lunulae' measures 70cm x 70cm, acrylic and sealed gold leaf on Italian deep edge canvas. It is available for sale and costs 1,200 Euro and as always, I am always open to people paying in instalments. Pop me an email if you would like to give it its forever home. How do I frame my art prints? This is a question I'm asked repeatedly. So I decided to write a blog post...then had a brainwave to do a video chat with my favourite framer Cathal of Frames etc. in Clondalkin Dublin. You can see what framing wisdom Cathal imparts in the video above and I hope you find it useful! Thanks Cathal for chatting with me!
In this post I'll tell you my favourite ways to frame prints and the questions you might consider when deciding on how to frame your art print. All of my art prints are limited edition, meaning you are getting a product that is pretty unique! They are all beautifully printed on high quality paper using archival ink. Each print is sold with a white border on the edge. This does three things: It gives the look of having a "built-in" mat around the print, making it look more like fine art and less like a poster. It gives space around the edges so when they are framed, no part of the image will be covered by the front frame lip. And lastly it gives me the white space to sign, name and number each limited edition print for you. Signed and numbered art prints are more valuable than if they are not signed and you have bought a limited edition product. You can also choose to frame over the white border if you wish to. My 12” x 12” prints come beautifully mounted, and so you can bring them to your local framer to get the surround that best suits your space. These prints will fit some ready-made frames, such as the Ikea Ribba Frames. However, Ikea now use plexi-glass rather than real glass and personally I think that detracts from the piece. But that option is there! I would recommend going to your local framer and choosing a surround frame that best suits the piece you have purchased and your room. When framing is done properly, it really adds to the look and it will last much longer than a ready-made frame. My larger pieces 20” 20” (50cm x 50cm) and unusually shaped pieces, such as the Chakra prints will need to be custom framed. There are so many options when it comes to framing. A good framer will guide you on what you need. The questions you might like to have in mind are: What material do I want my frame to be? This will depend on the style of your home or space. Wooden or painted wood frames lend to a more traditional and a softer look, whereas metal effect frames will be sharper making for a more industrial or modern look. What colour do I want my frame to be? Frames come in a variety of colours. For my work, I tend to go for a cream or white frame, though I have seen people frame them with black or wood and they look great too! When choosing a colour for your frame, consider the wall where you are going to be hanging your print. Also think about other paintings nearby which have a certain colour or shape. How will the wall, the paintings and the furniture in the room form into a harmonious whole? What kind of mount (matt) would I like for my print? Mounts or mats as they are known in the US, give space to allow your artwork to breather visually. Mounts come in any colour of the rainbow! I tend to use a cream mount when framing my prints, but you don’t have to. There are lots of options when it comes to mounts. You can also double mount, which gives more depth to the piece. You can see how a double mount works in the video above. What kind of glass would I like? Nowadays, we have more options than just plain glass when it comes to framing. You can also get non-reflexive glass and this is absolutely brilliant as you cut out the glare from other light sources such as windows or electric lights. It will cost you a little more, but it is particularly beneficial if you are going to be meditating on the piece have bought or you are using them for a meditation space. I hope that you have found this helpful and that your art piece brings you every joy each time you look at it! Here are some recommended Dublin framers which I've either used myself or have been recommended by other artists who I know! Frames Etc - Convent Road, Clondalkin Village, Dublin 22. Phone Cathal: 087 283 4150 Framing Direct - Unit 4, Adelaide Court, Albert Rd., Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. Phone David: 01-2844733 Castleknock Framers - 42 Parkdrive Close, Castleknock, Dublin 15: Phone 01-8207620 Carroll Craft Frames - Liammaire, Killalane, Skerries, Co Dublin. Phone William: 086 199 7084 Hang Tough Studio - 25 Lennox Street Portobello Dublin 8. Phone: 01 5552234. 1/8/2020 0 Comments The Sri Yantra This recent piece contains the beautiful geometry of the Sri Yantra. It's not an easy geometry to create, but it is so very worth it. The Sri Yantra is often called the “queen of yantras,” (rajayantra) is the symbol of the great divine mother principle, the source of all energy, power, and creativity. In Vedic traditions, specifically the Shri Vidya school of tantra, regard the design as the representation of the universe as well as the body of the goddess related to the feminine principle of shakti or energy. Every line and triangle symbolise a specific type of shakti. There are nine interlacing triangles aligned to a central invisible dividing line cutting the circle in two. When you are creating it, it's as though you move into a different realm, time stops and for me dreams increased in vibrance. There is a huge amount of meaning held behind the piece. People use these Yantras (visualisation of a Mantra, the Sri Yantra is a visualisation of the "Om" chant) as an aid to meditation. You can gaze at it with your focus softened and allow the shapes to move in and out of consciousness. An open eyed meditation for 5- 10 minutes is powerful. You can then look away onto a blank sheet of white paper and you will see the shapes in reverse. Gaze at the white paper until the image fades from your vision. I have taken the following from an article I found on Gaia.com explaining the meaning beneath the geometry. "Starting at the lowermost outer triangle and moving in a counterclockwise circle, they are agitation, pursuit, attraction, delight, delusion, immobility, release, control, pleasure, intoxication, an accomplishment of desire, luxury, mantra, and the destruction of duality. The next circle has the same sequence and direction, starting from the lowest triangle and moving counterclockwise. The first triangle is the giver of all accomplishments. Next is the giver of wealth. The third is the energy of activities that please all. Fourth is the bringer of all blessings. The fifth is the granter of all desires. Next is the remover of all suffering. The seventh is considered the appeaser of death. Eighth is the overcomer of all obstacles. Ninth is the bringer of beauty, and the tenth is the giver of all good fortune. The ten smaller triangles in the third circle represent, beginning at the same, lowermost triangle and moving counterclockwise: omniscience, omnipotence, sovereignty, knowledge, destruction of all disease, unconditional support, vanquishment of all evils, protection, and the attainment of all desires. The fourth circle of triangles, again starting at the same point and moving counterclockwise, represent: sustaining, creating, dissolution, pleasure, pain, cold, heat, and the ability to choose action. In the final inner space, the yogi or yogini visualizes five arrows representing the world of the senses, a bow, representing the mind, a noose, representing attachment, and a stick, representing aversion. The central triangle is the giver of all perfection. In the middle of the central triangle is a Bindu, representing pure consciousness and the original state of being." So...such a lot is held within this shape. Yantras have been used for thousands of years in the east and have been the obsession of countless yogis throughout history. Given the energy that they hold, people with almost zero knowledge about these beautiful geometric art works become transfixed by them, often stopping to stare in art galleries. I often think with this work, that the mind need not understand it all, but that the energy is somehow imparted through simply gazing at the shapes. The original of this piece measures 80cm x 80cm, acrylic and metallic paint on deep edge canvas. It is available for sale and costs 1200euro. I am always open to people paying in instalments if that works best. I also have limited edition prints available of this piece. The prints measure 12" x 12" and come beautifully mounted (16" x 16") and can be shipped worldwide. Sri Yantra Limited Edition Print
€65.00 - €130.00
This piece is based on the beautiful sacred geometry of the Sri Yantra, which is such a powerful geometry to work with. It's a challenge to create, but so very worth it. The Sri Yantra, also known as the “queen of yantras,” (rajayantra) is the symbol of the great divine mother principle, the source of all energy, power, and creativity. Vedic traditions, specifically the Shri Vidya school of tantra, regard the design as the representation of the universe as well as the body of the goddess related to the feminine principle of shakti or energy. Every line, triangle, and lotus petal symbolizes a specific type of shakti. It is composed of nine interlocking triangles...sounds simple, but it is notoriously difficult to create. But the effort is so worth it. It's an absolutely amazing geometry to meditate on to expand consciousness. The smaller print measures 30cm x 30cm (12" x 12") and comes beautifully mounted (16" x 16") The larger print measures 50cm x 50cm (20" x 20") and comes safely rolled in a postal tube. EU Buyer Note! Please ensure to enable cookies on both this site and on PayPal to ensure your purchase runs smoothly! 1/7/2020 2 Comments The Hummingbird and the Moon This large painting is called the Hummingbird and the Moon, and it was an absolute joy to create. I had been working with the torus shape as you can see in this painting and in the painting below entitled 'Harmony'It is such a harmonious shape to work with. The torus is said to define the workings of consciousness, such as consciousness having geometry. The energy of the torus is constantly refreshing and influencing itself. From the inside, your heart emanates an extremely powerful toroidal energetic field, like in the painting, and it has actually been scientifically measured to go out as far as 5 miles from your heart! Imagine that! The heart’s electromagnetic frequency arcs out from the heart and back in the form of a torus field, which is the oldest structure in existence. Its shape is similar to a doughnut, with the whole centre expanding out, then folding back in upon itself, kind of like our breath. I had painted the moon in the centre of this toroid field....anyone familiar with my work for a while now will know I love the moon...I think I may have lived there once upon a time. But the beautiful moon energy seemed magnified by the toroidal energy field. Then the flowers grew. It was the night of the full moon, and I was not aware that that particular full moon was called the Flower Moon.... a lovely synchronicity! Shortly afterwards, a hummingbird flew right into the picture and some butterflies too. I've never seen a hummingbird in real life, and it's definitely a bird I'd dearly love to see and to watch, So very beautiful, aren't they? In Native American culture, hummingbirds are seen as healers and bringers of love, good luck, and joy. What a lovely bird to fly into this painting! In Central America, they are a sign of love and will bring love to the person who spots them. The hummingbird symbolises joy and playfulness, as well as adaptability. So, I will take the energy and medicine of this bird and try in the coming weeks to have more fun and to invite more playfulness into my life. The original painting has already sold, but I do have limited edition printsavailable of it if you would like to invite that energy into your space. The Hummingbird and the Moon Limited Edition Print
€65.00 - €130.00
In Native American culture, hummingbirds are seen as healers and bringers of love, good luck, and joy. In Central America, they are a sign of love and will bring love to the person who spots them. The hummingbird generally symbolises joy and playfulness, as well as adaptability. "Birds are a miracle because they prove to us there is a finer, simpler state of being which we may strive to attain."—Doug Coupland The smaller print measures 30cm x 30cm (12" x 12") and comes beautifully mounted (16" x 16") The larger print measures 61cm x 61cm (24" x 24") and comes safely rolled in a postal tube. EU Buyer Note! Please ensure to enable cookies on both this site and on PayPal to ensure your purchase runs smoothly! Harmony Limited Edition Print
€65.00
This piece is based on the beautiful sacred geometry of the Torus which I find to be such a harmonious shape. The torus is said to define the workings of consciousness, such as consciousness having geometry. The energy of the torus is constantly refreshing and influencing itself. From the inside, your heart emanates an extremely powerful toroidal energetic field, like in the painting, and it has actually been scientifically measured to go out as far as 5 miles from your heart! Imagine that! The heart’s electromagnetic frequency arcs out from the heart and back in the form of a torus field, which is the oldest structure in existence. Its shape is similar to a doughnut, with the whole centre expanding out, then folding in upon itself. The print measures 30cm x 30cm (12" x 12") and comes beautifully mounted (16" x 16") EU Buyer Note! Please ensure to enable cookies on both this site and on PayPal to ensure your purchase runs smoothly!   “And I will fare to Avalon, to the fairest of all maidens…and she shall make my wounds all sound, make me whole with healing draughts.” – from Layomon’s Brut, translated by F. Madden In this blog post, I want to share with you a recent piece. I began creating this at the beginning of the lockdown here in Ireland. The intention of the piece is healing, light and strength. I didn't quite know what to name it. When it was completed, I lit a candle and asked the question....'What should I name this piece?" And out of nowhere the answer "Avalon" came to me. So Avalon it is! For me the deep blue and the turquoise colours are both very healing and protective energetically. They are often colours that I see in meditations and also in dreams, which have been off the charts lately - so much so, that I can't even begin to write them all down. I do with the strongest ones and trust that the others are doing their job in the background. Often the healing colour of turquoise appears as a healing lake in the dreams as you may have seen from previous pieces if you've been following along. So... Avalon.... And I will fare to Avalon, to the fairest of all maidens…and she shall make my wounds all sound, make me whole with healing draughts.” – from Layomon’s Brut, translated by F. Madden In the above quote, the legendary king, Arthur, addresses the fact that he’s been grievously wounded in battle. His solution is to visit the island of Avalon, renowned for its community of healing sisters, where he will be restored to health. The manuscript goes on to describe how a boat then appears nearby, and several beautiful, mysterious women carry Arthur off with them across the water to the sacred isle. It is believed, even to this day, that Arthur survives in this enchanted place,and that he will return in the hour of need. It is thought that Avalon was located in modern day Glastonbury and that it was once a lake district. Always the lakes in my dreams are places of healing and of succor....it's almost hard to put words on it, but when I get there in the dreams, there is an overwhelming sense of peace and healing and something very sacred. So perhaps the title for this painting "Avalon" popping into my head out of nowhere represents the great Goddess, the Divine Feminine energy connected to the Lady of the Lake in her watery realm of Avalon. There are more images of this painting below the mail, taken at night in the lamplight....I always love how the pieces change with the different light. Like a lake in the moonlight! The original measures 70cm x 70cm, acrylic on deep edge canvas and is available to go to a forever home. It costs €790 and I am always open to people paying in installments if that works best. Just pop me a mail and we can discuss it. Limited edition prints are also now available of this piece and can currently be shipped within Ireland, and worldwide after lockdown. Stay safe and well Namaste, Patricia Avalon Limited Edition Print
€65.00
The intention of the piece is healing, light and strength. I didn't quite know what to name it. When it was completed, I lit a candle and asked the question....'What should I name this piece?" And out of nowhere the answer "Avalon" came to me. So Avalon it is! For me the deep blue and the turquoise colours are both very healing and protective energetically. They are often colours that I see in meditations and also in dreams, which have been off the charts lately - so much so, that I can't even begin to write them all down. I do with the strongest ones and trust that the others are doing their job in the background. Often the healing colour of turquoise appears as a healing lake in the dreams as you may have seen from previous pieces if you've been following along. So... Avalon.... And I will fare to Avalon, to the fairest of all maidens…and she shall make my wounds all sound, make me whole with healing draughts.” – from Layomon’s Brut, translated by F. Madden In the above quote, the legendary king, Arthur, addresses the fact that he’s been grievously wounded in battle. His solution is to visit the island of Avalon, renowned for its community of healing sisters, where he will be restored to health. The manuscript goes on to describe how a boat then appears nearby, and several beautiful, mysterious women carry Arthur off with them across the water to the sacred isle. It is believed, even to this day, that Arthur survives in this enchanted place,and that he will return in the hour of need. It is thought that Avalon was located in modern day Glastonbury and that it was once a lake district. Always the lakes in my dreams are places of healing and of succor....it's almost hard to put words on it, but when I get there in the dreams, there is an overwhelming sense of peace and healing and something very sacred. So perhaps the title for this painting "Avalon" popping into my head out of nowhere represents the great Goddess, the Divine Feminine energy connected to the Lady of the Lake in her watery realm of Avalon. The print measures 30cm x 30cm (12" x 12") and comes beautifully mounted (16" x 16") EU Buyer Note! Please ensure to enable cookies on both this site and on PayPal to ensure your purchase runs smoothly! 24/3/2020 0 Comments Return of the Sidhe Original post written February 27 2020 In this blogpost I want to share with you a recent painting which was quite a different experience for me. Something playful in me wanted to experiment, to become freer with the painting process - to play really! I began this large canvas quite tightly, with small detailed shapes, but it just wasn't feeling right at all. So I allowed myself to cut loose completely. I began painting with wide brush strokes, then layering the paint on the canvas, allowing it to drip down. Then rotating the canvas and allowing it to drip another way. It was so beautiful to watch the colours merging, interacting and almost communicating with each other. It was utterly mesmerising and time slipped by unnoticed. I stood back, made myself a cup of tea, then looked again...I could see figures, many figures in caverns beneath a mystical Celtic landscape, the sea, the cliffs, hills.... I went back to work and began to highlight the elements that I could see, accentuating them, bringing them out of the mist. Below you can see progress shots as I worked. Can you see the figures? I could also see two figures in a cave, one figure stood over a kneeling figure, as though an anointing or blessing was taking place. Or a sacred wedding with all of the guests arriving....there beneath a Celtic brooding landscape. I was very much reminded of the tales of the Sidhe Fae. Sidhe (pronounced 'Shee') literally means "a mound". The Tuatha de Danaan are a Celtic mythological race meaning "people of the goddess Danu," Danu being a Celtic land or Mother Goddess. Other associated names for her were the Welsh "Don," Irish "Anu" or "Ana," "Mor-Rioghain," and "Brighid.
The Danaan people were associated with mounds, barrows and tumuli (small hills), they became known as the People of the Sidhe. Their association with the wind came from a belief in the Danaan presence in a whirlwind, "sidhe gaoithe," literally, a "thrust of wind." In the finished painting above, you can see a whirlwind type cloud in the sky, that has almost the shape of a man or woman. It feels like the Sidhe energy rising. The more common, widely-known name of "fairy" came from the unwillingness of people to call the Sidhe or Danaan folk by their name, for that was considered bad luck. Euphemisms such as "hill folk," "the gentry," "wee folk," "good folk," "blessed folk," "good neighbors," or "fair folk" abounded, and "fair folk" was shortened to "fairies." The Sidhe folk were associated with many supernatural abilities. Believed to live side by side with the human world, both beneficial and harmful interactions would take place. Fairies were often thought to be interested in stealing people, especially babies of new mothers, and if someone became ill, they could be accused of being a "changeling," left by the Sidhe in place of the original healthy person. Fairies, however, were also very welcomed when they helped the poor, did chores, left money for people or bestowed on them great talent, so they weren't always considered mischievous! I feel this figure in the cave are bestowing a gift upon the other, amidst great ceremony. I could feel a mischievous playful energy in the painting process of this piece itself - a return to a freedom that had been curtailed through schooling and society. I enjoyed embracing it. How might you embrace that playful energy in yourself this week? It certainly made me feel lighter in myself so perhaps allowing it back into your life can lighten you too! I can also feel a very serious anointing, a bestowal of a gift or talent and the great ceremony around it in the painting. This week, I have been tending to my creative spiritual space by making a beautiful altar in my room, embracing the ritual of being with the symbols that emerge in dreams and in paintings, allowing this creative energy to flow more freely and without shame. I've had some interesting dreams in that regard since doing that. I know the mail is getting long, but I want to share one particular dream with you! The Attic I am a small girl and I am in the room with a bespectacled bearded man, he is perhaps 60. He seems friendly and erudite, the walls are lined with books. I am drawing a picture. He suddenly grabs me and shoves me up into a dark attic. I am frightened and terribly sad. I am left there for a very long time. The dream cuts to a woman, an artist. She has come down from the attic and has been told not to paint. It is forbidden. The world is full of zombies/vampires - if they come at you and lick you or bite your neck, you turn into one! One needs to be very careful. It feels like a dark dystopian world. I seem to be undercover as a maid and I paint in secret. There are good men who move my paintings around for me at night. I know there was much more that happened in this bit, but I cannot remember the details. The final scene of the dream, again takes place in the attic. The small girl emerges from her attic bedroom into the attic kitchen where the woman is. She is her mother. Both are me. There had been two separate rooms, but now the rooms are joined together and the two are united. The kitchen is warm, cosy and nurturing. It is safe to be creative here. I love this dream....it feels like two parts of myself coming together at last. The attic in a dream often represents the subconscious mind or the higher self. There is more to feel into in this dream, more courting of the symbols to do. I got to thinking...so many of us have parts of ourselves that were not allowed. Parts of us that were shamed and shoved up into a symbolic dark hidden attic, safely kept away from the world. But these parts are the parts that we need to retrieve, the parts that will make the world a better and more authentic place, rather than a mediocre place. This week, I urge you to create a simple sacred space. Collect items from around your home that symbolise something to you. Gather candles, incense, a piece of art or whatever else feels right. Feel into the question of what part of you has been hidden away? What part of you is ready to be revealed? Meditate on this Sidhe painting, the anointing and blessing and ask for it to be returned to you with joy and ease. Allow yourself to be yourself. This original painting measures 80cm x 80cm and is available for sale. It has been created using acrylic paint on deep edge canvas. It costs €980 and I am always open to people paying in instalments if that works best as I understand it is an investment piece. 11/2/2020 1 Comment The Red Egg of Mary Magdalene I've been in hibernation mode these past weeks, turning inward and tuning in since the winter solstice. It's been a quietly fruitful time and I know that much is shifting and purging within and also in the outside world. If you too have been feeling this way, be sure to take time for self care and introspection along this journey. In this post, I want to share with you a piece that I have just finished. If you've been receiving these blogs for a while now, you'll know that the alchemical egg has been featuring very strongly both in my dreams and work. Over the past month or two I have had an extraordinary urge to paint the egg red. I didn't consciously know why and so I took to the oracle of the day, Google, and typed in 'red egg' and 'alchemy'. And to my surprise, up popped a beautiful story which I hadn't come across before. Mary Magdalene is an energy that I often find with me in meditation, so it was a beautiful surprise. Mary Magdalene and the first Easter Egg - On a visit to Rome, Mary Magdalene is purported to have told Caesar that Jesus had risen from the dead. To explain his resurrection she picked up an egg. Caesar said that a human being could no more rise from the dead than the egg in her hand turn red. The egg in Mary Magdalene's hand turned red immediately. This story is said to be the origin of the idea of the Easter egg. I sat with this story during the painting of this piece, and the painting feels like an homage to this story, and to my own journey of rediscovery, and to all of our unique journeys of rebirth/resurrection. During our lives we have many small deaths and rebirths, and if we are on the journey of awakening these occurrences become more frequent and more conscious in our lives. Sometimes these deaths are small, but they add up. At other times it feels as though the self that you knew is literally being annihilated. But after each death is a rebirth into a clearer and more refined level of consciousness. We have become somehow better because of it, and that inner growth trickles out to all around us. We are all doing this, some consciously, others unconsciously. When we are aware and conscious, I believe the momentum gathers and the process speeds up. I also believe that each individual journey, the work that each and every one of you does, adds up and contributes to a collective healing. A healing in the wider world. And interestingly this week, this wonderful article was shared with me which I think says it more beautifully than I ever could: "Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach. Any small, calm thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of this poor suffering world, will help immensely. It is not given to us to know which acts or by whom, will cause the critical mass to tip toward an enduring good. What is needed for dramatic change is an accumulation of acts, adding, adding to, adding more, continuing. We know that it does not take everyone on Earth to bring justice and peace, but only a small, determined group who will not give up during the first, second, or hundredth gale. One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Soul on deck shines like gold in dark times. The light of the soul throws sparks, can send up flares, builds signal fires, causes proper matters to catch fire. To display the lantern of soul in shadowy times like these -- to be fierce and to show mercy toward others; both are acts of immense bravery and greatest necessity. Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it. If you would help to calm the tumult, this is one of the strongest things you can do. There will always be times when you feel discouraged. I too have felt despair many times in my life, but I do not keep a chair for it. I will not entertain it. It is not allowed to eat from my plate. [...] In that spirit, I hope you will write this on your wall: When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt. But that is not what great ships are built for." --Clarissa Pinkola Estes The soul heals and lights up through our inner journeys, our inner deaths and rebirths. Then the light shines forth to others. Sometimes we do this alone, and other times we gather in circles with kindred souls. After a couple of months going inward, I will be be beginning to hold circles again in March - mandala creation and meditation. It is always powerful to do this work together. I'll be in Glendalough, Galway, Cork, Wexford and Kilkenny. I hope to add another Dublin date and also a Sligo date soon. So if you feel to be a part of it, check out the workshop page on my website. I think I will call this piece simply "The Red Egg", the symbol of the womb of the Goddess and of our rebirth. The painting is available for sale at €890, and measures 70cm x 70cm on deep edge canvas. Please message me if you're interesting in giving it a forever home and as always, I am open to people paying in installments. |
Patricia Fitzgerald
Mandala Artist and Healer based in Dublin, Ireland. www.healingcreations.ie Archives
April 2023
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