BEHIND THE SERIES: field of daisies

Hello!

I hope this little post finds you enjoying small beautiful moments that you find in your day today ❤

I trust that by now, you have seen that I've released a brand new series into the world: field of daisies.  This series of original mixed media abstract-figurative paintings is done all on high quality, stiff watercolor paper, and is characterized by rich layers of collage, inks, gouache, and of course, my signature doodles, and each piece features a unique little girl, surrounded by daisies.  Simple and innocent at first glance, this special series actually carries a deep significance to me and I wanted to share it with you all.

  

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When I lived in Washington State, one of my favorite times of year was the beginning of summer, when all the daisies would bloom.  They filled every roadside and median, and as you drove through the countryside there were fields literally full of nothing but daisies.  Whenever I drove past them, all I wanted to do was stop and run through them, and experience being fully surrounded by nothing but daisies...

 My favorite daisies with a view of Mt. St. Helens in the background

According to the story of creation, the first living thing God made was plants.  The last living thing he made was woman.  Women are the ones who bring forth and nurture life.  Plants are the symbol of life.  No wonder the two seem to belong.

This series of mine celebrates new beginnings.  The little girlies featured in each painting harken back to our girlhoods.  The carefree days when the world around us was beheld in wonder.  When we saw the world through rose-colored glasses that made every color seem more vibrant.  Back before we came face-to-face with the darkness this world also holds. 

Though it often feels as though those days are so far behind us, and that we are certainly too broken and the world too sad to have any hope of seeing the world with fresh eyes, there is hope that the world might be made new.  There are new beginnings ahead.  The world will be bright again.  And we can live that reality out right now.  The darkness only makes the light that much brighter.  And light is stronger than darkness.  

Back to the story of creation, before the plants were made, the very first thing God did was to speak Light into existence.  He looked upon the void and formless world covered in darkness and said, “Let there be light.” And then there was Light.  And the rest of creation followed this Light.  Light brings form out of formlessness.  Light fills the void.  Light overcomes the dark.  And this same God breaks through the darkness of our void and formless broken hearts and declares “Let there be Light”.  And thus, our own New Beginning is begun.  “In the beginning” is where we also begin. 

As such, all these little girlies in each of their own paintings are at the start of their new beginning.  They are out in fields of daisies, reminders of beginnings and innocence.  Their worlds are full of color and love and brightness and light.  May they bring their color and love and light to your home, and with it the hope of new beginnings.  

  

Much love, 

Bella Joie