“Ever yours”, Oil on Canvas, 50 x 70 cms, July 2020
The blue scarf in this painting is the backside to a print of one of Vincent Van Gogh’s “Irises” paintings done at the Saint Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, in the last year before his death in 1890.

Today marks the 130th year since Vincent’s death. He is arguably the most beloved painter of the 20th century but ironically, he only sold one painting during his lifetime. He was both prolific in his painting and writing. Of his many inspiring quotes, my favorite is, “It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love, is well done.”

I cannot help wondering how Vincent would have felt about social media if he were alive today. Would he think it a boon or bane to his work? I think he would have been a star on social media if he allowed it and sell more of his work, if not all of them!

My path in art was forged after I experienced his “Starry Night On The Rhone”, and his writings have been a steady influence in my art, my life. Vincent’s dedication to his work, his passion for life, the way that he saw God’s handwriting in nature and how he transposed what he saw and felt on his canvases; how he allowed such beauty to pierce through his sadness and disappointments — all remain relevant and worthy wisdom to this day.

So today I celebrate his life and honor him with every like and every kind word on social media that others have offered for my work. Let it be my gift for the man who loved so greatly and much that his work and his words continue to inspire us all to this day. You have performed much and accomplished much, dear Vincent. Well done. Truly, well done.

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“Summer Blues and Greens in Porta San Niccolò”, oil on panel, 35×50 cms, June 2020

A landscape work I did in June 2020. Spring was cusping into summer then and lockdown rules had just eased. For as long as I followed safety protocols, I was free to paint outside. At last!

Clear skies of blue and spectacular natural light on everything, all waiting to be savored since the beginning of Spring. This unassuming spot in the San Niccolo Quartiere in Florence, overgrown with grass and dotted with wild purple flowers was the banquet of beauty that so thrilled my eager painter’s heart! I painted faithfully everyday en plein air, and by noon of the 4th day I had only the overgrowth to paint on the foreground and the painting would be finished. I was excited to finish!

I stopped work and laid out essentials for a quick lunch when I heard the loud, strange whirring sound of a motor approaching my spot from the other end of the garden. It was the city gardener and his mower, aiming for my treasured, unpainted overgrowth! I was in shock as he smiled at me to say, I did not have to worry, I could go on and eat my lunch…..my heart sank in a silent scream, “yes, but my foreground!!!!!! You mowed down every tall blade and purple lovely in it!!!!” I was heartbroken but I also knew he was only doing his job. Moments of secret lamentation followed and then I realized, this is exactly why I choose to paint from life. This is life —- the gardener doing his job and so I, too, must do mine — by painting without the overgrowth and finding beauty in what remains of the garden.

So this is the finished work from those early days of summer. My wish is it makes you smile for at least one reason just as it always reminds me of that 4th day and its bit of tragedy, that today in hindsight, is this work’s added dose of unmistakable, unforgettable humor. Oh Life! ❤️

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Lockdown rules have eased in Florence and we are now restarting lives once paused without warning by the pandemic. The days feel fresher and every moment spent outside to run errands, to work or reconnect with each other sparkles with gratitude. I found this feather on my way to the art supply store and was pleasantly surprised, it was my first feather sighting after the lockdown. I always believed that feathers are a sign of protection and guidance from Heaven. Perhaps this very one is a reminder that as life goes on and we have no choice but to live with this virus, we have a choice to trust in God who watches over us with mercy and providence, and trust also in ourselves, that our learnings over the last three months will carry us safely through to the end of this pandemic.

True, this virus shows us how fragile we are but it also pointed us to the things that truly matter. We are still here, ever capable of making a difference, ever able to ease each other’s suffering. Seen this way, we have not lost the means to keep this world and each other safe, despite this virus. As we move forward and restart our lives, let our trust in God and ourselves be our refuge and our strength. In this, our trust is well-placed.
May this feather painting inspire you to love and care as deeply as you are loved and cared for, today and always.

“Trust (A Feather for Ana)”, oil on canvas, 23 x 23 cms, 2020

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