TORCH GINGER DEVA ~ Completing the Circle

The Painting that Turned into a Prayer and Celebration of Life 

This Post is Dedicated to Sue Hoya Sellars     ∴      www.suehoyasellars.com

Poetic Artists

Splattering liquid iridescence,
a splash of color on the page.
Colors spilled by my emotions,
by words which grow with age.
Works of art made by a poet
by spattering paper in solace ink.
Spilling their words of wisdom,
and sharing what they think.
Masterpieces made by a poetess
by spilling words into endless space.
Sharing a heart wrenching story,
writing with finesse and grace.
Splattering liquid iridescence,
a splash of color with every word.
We are all poetic artists,
no matter how different we’re all heard.
    … by Iridescent Moon
Torch Ginger Deva Acrylic on Canvas Board 16 x 20

Torch Ginger Deva
Acrylic on Canvas Board 16 x 20

She moves out of the mist to speak to humanity, her heart chakra aglow, to remind us of our oneness with all things and that Love is the foundation as we create within ourselves and co-create with the larger world around us.  This flower Deva boldly expresses grace and beauty as well as strength.  She is back lit with Divine light encouraging us to expand into understanding of who we really are.

We of the large family of Cosmic Cowgirl group of artists have been praying through painting, poetry and ceremony as our matriarch mentor, Sue Hoya Sellars moves through a challenging healing journey….maybe more challenging for us than for her, as she is floating and allowing what is, and we have been somewhat resistant to let go of our human experience with her….for she is greatly loved.  What she has given us, and continues to give us never ends.  It just keeps expanding.

Circle of Deva’s 

My painting journey to a deeper embrace and connection with nature and all her realms.

Nature Deva Series© Maria Doglio, September 2014

PLUMERIA DEVA TAKES A BOW – #3 in Four Panel Series

WELCOME PLUMERIA DEVA

A weekend painting intensive brought forth the Plumeria Deva.   Instead of heading off to bed, which was my original intention, it was one of those times when I was pulled into the art studio at 10:30 pm Friday night, with a strong impulse to get going on this painting.   Driven, I worked hard all weekend.  This morning I was up early and was painting in my PJ’s.  When I am immersed in art, there is a pull so strong inside all else falls away – there is only the painting.  That was the state I was in, adding various refinements, until she came to full completion.

Plumeria Deva 2014

Plumeria Deva – Acrylic on Canvas Board, 16 x 20

I am noticing as I paint each Deva in this series, the personalities that come out as I paint. The initial drawing may show one aspect, but as I paint the face and flowers, the personality her features evoke moves through several shifts until I feel she arrives at where she wants to be within the painting.

Now it won’t be long before I start on the final and 4th panel of this series.   I am anxious to have this last Deva join her sisters and to share with you my reflections and the message that nature is sending out through their emergence as I paint.

“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not’?” – George Bernard Shaw

Albert Einstein said:  “Creativity is contagious, pass it on”  – That is my desire in sharing with all who visit here–spawning contagious creativity!   Be joyful in all you do.

© Maria Doglio, September 2014

BIRTHDAY REFLECTIONS

TRANSITIONAL DECADE  A Reflection on Turning 70

Me Sampling A Moscow Mule

CHEERS

Letting go of the 60’s years and back beyond with it’s sometimes bumpy road, it’s highs, its lows, it’s sorrows, forgiveness’s and the stuckness of spinning wheels. Enough now, it’s all passed.  No more resistance ~ more allowing, in harmony I will flow.

Turning, crossing the threshold, letting go the illusions of perceived common sense and reason, I will enter this next decade’s season following my heart, my passion, not so much my head; less confusion and more fusion, is the road to which I am led.

The beloved Crone, the Wise Women, I join you, embracing this transition, full on. I will start to unfold, dancing down that uncommon road, coming into myself, my worth, my eternal beingness, understanding, maybe, for the first time, (and it’s a long time coming), this jumping out of the “what’s expected of me” mold.

I shall spin my 70 year old heart with love, joy and connection of endless creativity that keeps me expanding, weaving life’s shining threads, that “turns to gold”, if I play the game right.  Like buds ready to burst in spring, like a bird ready to take flight, I enter my personal new decade with levity, for truly, if we choose to see it, feel it, and create it, it is always A BEAUTIFUL DAY!

– Maria Catherine Doglio – September 6, 2014

Birthday Poem Inspired by the song 

Turns to Gold, ~ Welcome Matt Music (click title to play song)

With love and appreciation to my fabulous children, their cherished husbands, wives , my amazing grandchildren and my two ex-husbands, who taught me how to come into my own strength, and never forgetting the courage, fortitude and richness of life that all my Italian ancestors showed me.

Wind In Her Hair Studio – Debut at Gin’Gilli’s Vintage Home

September 1, 2014 – Opening day for Wind In Her Hair Studio’s Space at Gin’Gilli’s
Gin’Gilli’s Vintage Home
21079 Geyserville Ave (Rt. 128)
Geyserville, CA

Take a look at Gin’Gilli’s on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/gingillis.vintage.home

WIHH Studio at Gin'Gilli's_

Wind In Her Hair  Studio  Spot at Gin’Gilli’s

If you drive through downtown Geyserville on Route 128 while meandering your way through Alexander Valley’s Wine Country and small towns, be sure to stop by Gin’Gilli’s Vintage Home.  The big L-shaped barn is invitingly filled with antiques, vintage items of all sorts, crafts, imaginative up-cycled and re-purposed items transformed into art or other good use.  There is so much to see, a quick sweep through just doesn’t suffice – so plan to stay awhile.

I had the good fortune of being offered a space in the craft row that runs along the center of the wing.  I took a leap of faith, gathered all of my crafty pieces and set up my space this morning.  You’ll see my colorful up-cycled art lamps as you walk down the aisle.  You will find unique colorful pillows, painted furniture, mixed media art collages, a painted canvas floor cloth, lamp shades and more.  If you would like a pop of color or one-of-a-kind art and craft items, choose a piece to enhance and enjoy in your home.

Fulfilling my passion to craft and paint on a full time basis, doing the things that I love, keeps me centered and fulfilled in my life, and that positive energy spills out into everything else. Thank you all who read my posts, for following my creative journeys – always changing, always expanding.

Here are some close-up glimpses to entice you!

WIHH Studio_GG#5

Painted, Stenciled Chair, signed 2007 (Has a Canvas Floor Cloth to Match!)

WIHH Studio_GG#4

Mixed Media Collage’s and Vintage Metal Butterfly Votive, embellished with CeCe Caldwell Paint – comes  with a Bees Wax Candle

WIHH Studio_GG #3

Painted Art Lamps and Shades with CeCe Caldwell’s Chalk & Clay Paints (available at the store); Pillows and Collages;

WIHH Studio_GG #2

Stenciled Side Table (CeCe Caldwell’s Paint). Pillows, Stenciled Apple Wall Plaques

FAIRY IRIS DEVA EMERGES

NATURE DEVA SERIES – Number Two of Four

Recharging Myself and the Studio:

Taking a side path for a bit of time to concentrate on craft items for an outdoor show, my Deva painting series got put on hold for a bit.   The Fairy Iris Deva sat patiently on my easel for weeks, just starting to emerge on the canvas.

Meanwhile, the aftermath of serious crafting production, left my studio in utter chaos.  I closed the door for a while, with the need to take a break.  I took up a library book – Claude and Camille by Stephanie Cowell –  a historical novel of Monet.  The story is of a young Monet, his first years in Paris along with his companions at the beginning of the Impressionist movement–Renoir, Pissarro, Bazille, Manet and Cezanne.   As I got caught up with the novel, I felt that it began to fire up the artist within me.  From my own studio came the call of the unfinished canvas.

Digging in first to clear the energy of chaos in the studio, I set to work cleaning up and organizing.  I brought in my drum to change the vibration to a higher state and clear out the old stale (and rather stuck) energy.  The window was flung open to let in sunshine and fresh air.  Laying out my paints and brushes, I was ready to go.

The more I worked, the more I got lost in the painting.  The fever pitch set in, causing me to lose all sense of time until my cell phone twitched with a text message.  I realized it was 6:00 pm already and I was very hungry!   I actually love it when this happens, being consumed by a painting.  Ultimately you realize that you are over tired and better stop to avoid any big mistakes.  It was close to mid-night.

She sits now – at rest, having fully emerged.  It’s at the stage where I “live with” a painting for a while – essentially finished, but sitting observed on the easel in case a need for tweaking becomes evident.

Two more Devas waiting in the wings will complete the series.  There is energy in these paintings that I can not explain.  It is a journey, not only in the painting, but also, I believe, in connecting with the energy that comes from the force of nature personified.  The authors of Findhorn and Parelandra books talk of their cooperative work in the gardens with the over-lighting Devas and Nature Spirits.  As the Deva emerges in each painting, I will continue to share my personal journey in painting them with you until all are complete.

Be inspired to step out of the box with your art – what shows up may surprise you!

 

Fairy Iris Deva

Fairy Iris Deva – Maria Doglio, 2014 – Acrylic on Canvas Board,  16 x 20

Ref:  Bird of Paradise Deva July 13, 2014 Blog for first painting in this series.

© Maria C. Doglio, August 24, 2014

 

 

Sweet Vintage Trailer Home Show Booth

SHOW TIME:  Saturday August 16, 2014 – Wind In Her Hair Studio Booth

Mastering logistics of space, learning how to maneuver the new pop-up canopy, my daughter Kate and I at the Gin’Gilli Sweet Vintage Trailer Show, ready for show time.  Nice meeting all the vendors, fell in love with the fairy-like vintage trailers, and survived the desert-like heat of the afternoon – glad to have that canopy.  THANK YOU to friends who stopped by!

photo 2 (1)

Maria Doglio –  “Wind In Her Hair Studio” crafts & mixed media

Kate didn’t get to sell her sweet “Fairy Bloom painting, but after a morning walk, came home to find it “magically” hanging over my bed!  ♥♥♥

photo 3 (1)

Artist Kate Langlois 

Visit:  www.katelangloisart.com

INSIDE THE BOOTH

We wound up rearranging the booth several times throughout the day for better display advantage.  My first time craft booth experience since years ago when we lived in Vermont – a good learning experience.

Down Memory Lane in Vermont:

Vermont Circa 1980's - craft fair

Shaftsbury, Vermont ~ Circa, 1980’s with Kate Langlois and her friend Randy (My “Harvest Moon Stencil Studio” years)

Back to the present –

Booth Shot #2Booth Shot#3

Booth Shot #1

Getting Ready – Vintage Home Show

GIN’GILLI’S VINTAGE HOME

August 16, 2014

Sweet Vintage Trailer Show

2014 Flea Market – 8 am to 3 pm 

PRE-VIEW ~ Up-cycling old lamps into ART LAMPS & SHADES

with CeCe Caldwell’s Organic no VOC Clay & Chalk Paints

photo 1 photo 2

Art Lamps

Art Lamps


Original one of a kind lamps, shades and other things

Mixed Media, Small Paintings, Piece Pillows and Flags & More

Looking forward to seeing you there – it will be a beautiful day in the heart of the Wine Country’s Alexander Valley 

Come by to see me and my booth at this fabulous vintage show!

https://www.facebook.com/gingillis.vintage.home

 

 

 

NATURE DEVAS EMERGING – Number One

BIRD OF PARADISE

Her song abundant with perfume
that soars like incense to the skies,
earth holds her beauty in its grasp
that buds the Bird of Paradise
(excerpt from a poem by Elfin “Bird of Paradise)
TUNING IN
Begin by thinking about the nature spirits, the higher overlighting nature spirits, and tune into them. That will be so unusual as to draw their interest here. They will be overjoyed to find some members of the human race eager for their help.”  (Nature, channeled by Dorothy MacLean, Findhorn Foundation)

The “Bird of Paradise Deva” emerged, I am sure, with the inspirational help of the overlighting spirit that holds the blueprint for the Bird of Paradise.  I am grateful for the intuitive guidance that helped me hold my vision.

The sketch of this particular Deva sat on my easel for a few weeks so I could contemplate my approach.  I started tentatively painting with some difficulty, until I realized I wasn’t “tuning in”.   I let it sit for another week of contemplation, with rather flat leaves beginning to form a foundation.

Giving a project enough patience, there comes a point when the vision, the energy and the feeling of the painting all merge to combine a calling back to the easel—I was in sync.  As I tuned into the feeling of the painting more, the imagery in my inner vision began to flow out onto the canvas from paint to form with little effort.  I fell into the painting, time and day of the week disappearing along with it.  What a soul-satisfying  feeling of emergence!  The Deva emerged with a startling strong energy, that frankly I cannot explain.  My friend Cathy attested to this upon viewing it – as chills enveloped her body.  “Well this confirms I am not crazy!”, I told her.  The energy was definitely present.

The Bird of Paradise Deva is the first in my series of Four Devas of Nature – enjoy the journey with me as I complete each painting and post my experience with it here.  Maybe she will speak to you too.  Be inspired!

 

Maria Doglio 2014

Bird of Paradise Deva – Maria Doglio 2014 – Acrylic on Canvas Board 16 x 20

 © Maria Doglio 2014

 

PLAYING WITH NATURE DEVAS

IMAGINING THE ELEMENTALS ~ Faeries, Nature Devas, Sprites & Spirits

Playing with Nature Devas

Playing with Nature Devas – 2014 (quick painting sketch free flowing from imagination to canvas)

As long as I can remember, I felt connected with the world of faeries.  As a child, I would imagine them everywhere among the Queen Anne’s Lace, under the tangle of wild grape vines along the stone wall, along streams and between the gnarled roots of trees deep in the woods.  They would sit with me as I sat high in the branches of my favorite tree, reading a book, or just swaying with the breeze in the branches, eyes closed and the wind in my hair.

Being an adult never dulled this faerie world inside me.  They drifted to the background of my mind, but never really left, waiting patiently for me to recognize them again.  Now they are beginning to pop up in my paintings as testimony to their work in nature.  They are woven between flowers and leaves, some shy, some bold.   Like a flash of a snapshot, they take a moment to reveal themselves to me, as I attempt to capture in paint, the beauty and essence of  their work.

Four Panels

Now that they have captured my attention, I am inspired to create a series of four panels featuring four Nature Devas, each representing a beautiful flower – Bird of Paradise, Torch Ginger, Plumeria and a Fairy Iris.

Four Panels - Nature Devas

Four Panels – Nature Devas

 

Close up - Bird of Paradise

Close up – Bird of Paradise sketch

It’s interesting how inspiration can take off  once you start drawing.   I sat to sketch out my idea on a panel, tuning into my inner vision to connect with and draw out the spirit of the flower.   I drew the flower first, feeling it’s essence.  Then the Deva revealed herself to me and was added underneath, peeking out from under her flower hat.  The Bird of Paradise Deva was first.  She called to others who wanted in on the fun.   I kept sensing “me next!” as I perused my file of flower photos – and so I just kept going until one panel grew to four with four different Devas represented on them.

The challenge for me will be in the journey of painting each panel that captures both my inner vision and the spirit of the flower.  These are joyful challenges of expression.  I am so grateful to be able to pursue my passion and share the results with you.  I will be posting my journey with these Devas, and invite you along to watch them emerge into full bloom!

© Maria Doglio Art 2014

NORTH BEACH – Birth of DURGA ART COLLECTIVE

SCENES FROM LIVE WORMS GALLERY – DURGA ART COLLECTIVE SHOW

DURGA, our collective namesake, is the Hindu Mother of the Universe and the power behind creativity.  She greeted all who entered the Gallery from a chair in the front window……and certainly blessed the ten artists in this collective with a spirited gathering for success.  It was an amazing weekend with an eclectic crowd of North Beach old timers, telling fabulous stories of the beatnik days, locals of all ages, holiday travelers, art collectors and curious passers by.

DURGA - Our Patron

Art by Kate Langlois; Durga sign by Ben Bhat

Opening morning, my daughter and I renewed the energy of the gallery space with Reiki and called in the powers of the four directions and Durga to bless the artists in their work. The shift of energy was evident – we all felt it – and the result was a positive weekend of connecting and selling art!

A view of the Gallery filled with art works from the Durga Art Collective, May 30th to June 1:

Ready to go!

Photo by Jaya Bhat

Opening Night!Ten amazing artists represented were:  Krishna Bhat, Mieze Steinberg, Kate Langlois, Ameena Hartung, Pierre Shamel, Maria Doglio, Jason Steinberg, Liza Brown, Annette Wagner and Jaya Bhat

 

 

Opening Night was packed from 7 pm to 11 pm with a most positive and fun crowd flowing in and around to meet all of the artists.

Long View - Opening night

 

10296269_462364573867033_8612733734833447538_o

 

 

 

Me, talking up my art to guests, opening night

Ameena & Krishna

 

Ameena & Krishna – the force behind the creation of the Durga Art Collective!

 

 

 

 

 

Me, below, in front of my section of gallery wall.

Me in front of my art wall

Kate

Me & Kate at showMy daughter, visionary artist, Kate Langlois – family and friends were all part of the collective – Kate’s husband Jaya Bhat, photography; artists Krishna Bhat and his partner, Ameena Hartung; cousins Jason Steinberg, photography and Mieze Steinberg, artist.  Annette, Liza and Pierre, although not related, were all close friends of family members. This thread of family and friendship pulled us all together.

Kate and me in front of my art wall. Day 3, exhausted but happy with our sales.  In the end, we were all reluctant to pack up and go.  We gathered in a circle under rays of sunshine flowing from the skylight. Each offered a prayer of thanks, joined hands in the center and threw our prayers up to the sky.

We parted, with seeds already planted for the next Durga Art Collective Show.

Thanks to Judy from SF Live Worms Gallery for photos of event on www.sflivewormsgallery.com