Creativi-tea Time

This week I had tea with SiStars from around the globe with my RT friend Denise Daffera and the Purple Ink café, via Zoom technology! I was at my daughter's, so used a sweet teacup my granddaughter KK received from her friend Gabby, when she went over for a sleepover. Bone China, with a lilies of the valley pattern, it reminded me of having tea with my mom! Like Denise, I grew up sipping tea and sharing stories with mom. When I was a teen, she encouraged me to collect bone China teacups when we traveled. These days, I often use a handthrown cup, and have several to choose from.

As women shared their tea cups, and memories of other tea parties, I remembered when my

Cup from Elaine W

massage mentor introduced me to an older German woman, who needed in-home sessions. I would bring my (heavy!) table, and after the session, she began inviting me to stay for tea, which included some fresh baked goodie.... 
When Helen requested I come twice a week, I told her I could come do massage two times, but not do "tea party" both days!! We would drop into a mix of English with some German words, and I loved hearing parts of her story.

We always had herbs in our garden, and when my kids were young, Michael and I would gather our own favorites for Monday night tea blends. He loved sage, I prefered Lemon balm, and a sweeter brew. We had a wonderful black English peppermint from his elderly friend who lived in the house "my" gallery, 10 Oaks, now occupies. 
Like my folks, we liked using local honey, and would use a bit in our brews. Sage or ginger and honey we favorites got sore throats, and in the late 80s, I took an herb class to learn more medicinal uses. Our local friends Melanie and Andy Van Hevlingen grow some of our favorite herbs.

During my years at the mountain hot springs retreat, Breitenbush, several co-workers loved tea and tea ceremonies. Rosa was born in England, and Gwynne had studied at the Guild theatre school in London. I'd often be invited over for elevenses, with tea served from a pot, and perhaps jam on a biscuit or bread from the kitchen. I was happy to discover a coconut black tea at our local Velvet Monkey tea room, similar to the one from a London tea shop. At Christmas, Jamshed would host a well attended high tea with poetry, in the lodge with a fire burning. 

One housemate, Ray from the kitchen team, was an expert at simmering the spices and making fresh Chai. Like the little Red Hen, he encouraged Emily and me to make it sometimes, but no, we wanted his brew, and would patiently wait for our chai.

For our Red Thread Circles, we often brew tea in a pot, along with small oranges, nuts, chocolate, for help washing and clearing emotions raised as old stories are processed. We have a collection of tea cups, and teas, as well as tea in bags for individual use. A teapot appeasers in many of our Apothecary paintings, brewing new stories.

What favorite memories of tea and tea parties do you have?

Happy Paint Party Friday! 

Presence

This week I discovered a new FB group - Magical Mixed Art Community - & have been enjoying the BEAUTIFUL pieces members have been submitting! One pair of paintings struck a chord, and resonate with one of my stories, so I've begun a new piece: Presence.

Background & outline

In 1992, several days after my dear dad died, I was sitting in one of the Meadow pools at Breitenbush retreat center where I worked. I happened to glance up at the sky, & saw my father's profile in the clouds! I casually asked the friend with me to look up, & tell me what HE saw ... "Um, your father's face?!" ...
When my dad was in High School in the 20s, he learned to type. One of their projects was to do images with type: a US flag & their own profile! My dad, dutifully did both, & proudly saved them. He had a distinctive nose & wavy hair .... one cloud above us - that profile!

filling in the face

So when my mom died 12 years later, & my oldest granddaughter was sad, I told her we should look for my mom's face in the clouds, & we'd always find fuzzy little cloud faces that we identified as Lois.  Nothing as distinct as my dad's profile (which stayed for several hours, before gradually fading) but quite comforting.

My women's spiritual book group is currently reading Jessica Maxwell's "Roll Around Heaven," a delightful spiritual memoir, which begins with a chapter about her dad's death, and .... seeing HIS face (holographic) FILLING the sky three days later!! She wasn't going to tell anyone, till her sister called, and said "You'll never guess what I saw!!" ... um, dad's face? ....

Mary          Lois          Nadya

Face & hair

So when I saw the paintings with a woman's face in the sky, I thought of  painting of my mom, smiling in the sky! She cherished a set of photos she framed of herself, her mom & me between 18 & 20 years old (she's in the middle), so I used my mom young woman as my starting point! She was born in 1912, & her mom in the 1880s)


I had a 'Flying Dutchman' painting on canvas that I picked up somewhere, & have thought of painting over, so that seemed perfect. (you can see a vague outline of the ship, with the darker ocean on the right in the first picture)

I've used the colour of woman model of painting the background, then the outline of young Lois (I didn't do a distinct portal this time), then filling in face & neck, hair, & background.
Next comes the glaze, then more details! I like the hint of a heart surrounding the face!

On Saturday our Church is having an art show, Artspiration, and we can display up to three pieces per person. I've been working on 'Ariadne's Red Thread' (I'll post pics soon), and "Presence," with my third piece a sumi picture for the Year of the Dragon.

My Colour of Woman teacher Elisabeth plans to show a piece as well.
I've been haunting the art store, picking up new paints, brushes, supplies, & found that my music stand works well for an easel, at least for these smaller pictures! (this one's 12 x 16")

Birthday

Today's my son's 35th Birthday!! (gasp - how on earth did that happen?)

I took the day off 'in case' he came to town or we went somewhere to celebrate - he still works on his BD (aren't Birthdays National Holidays? I loved having my Birthday as a PAID holiday at Breitenbush!)
Anyway - it's sunny, I'm in shorts (inside, lol) & I have a whole day ahead of me to do some serious shaking & moving! & maybe make a card in honor of my Number One (& only) Son!

Cheers :)