Category: Women of Strength

Enduring the Days

Posted on by Faith
Snapshot fma
Snapshot

The last few days have been torture. I hurt from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. The amputation site is having an electric storm of shock and neuropathy. It’s been a bad few days and I’ve done very little reaching out. I’ve just been waiting for medication time!

The foot that was amputated coincidentally was the foot with Chronic Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. Though amputated for other reasons, I hoped the RSD fire and pain would stop, it didn’t and won’t. It doesn’t work that way. Continue reading “Enduring the Days”

The Brave Face

Posted on by Faith

I’m not brave. I’m not. I’m not rolling with the punches, I’m just getting punched. As I said, I’ve walked through the fire and I’m all burned up. I’m skinny, starving for a moment of real rest, of relief.

“The surgeon” will see me one more time in 3 months then that’s it. Really?! That’s all? You take my toes, wham bam thank you ma’am, I wash my hands of you? That’s how this works? And I’m just supposed to go on too, business as usual?

This is the second time he’s asked me to paint him something. So I will get a canvas and paint every tear I’ve sobbed! I’ll paint the times I covered my face and rocked back and forth in shock, “Oh my God!” so I can’t see what other trauma is next. I just cover my face and rock.

He gave me a script for an insert that will allow me to wear whatever shoes I want. He said to get a good brand of cocoa butter for my foot and the scars so the black scars will fade. I’ll buy new Chuck Taylor shoes after the insert gets here. I’ll walk around with no outward knowledge that anything is missing. I’ll limp but people won’t know why.

I will paint “the surgeon” a piece of this entire experience from fear to anguish to anger, loneliness and even gratitude. He’s going to get a painting of trauma because that’s what’s left in the wake.

Jordan

My beloved theme is BACK!!!

Posted on by Faith

Crystal - Let the Mountains Shake
Crystal : Let the Mountain’s Shake

I HATED those other themes. They weren’t me at all. I couldn’t stand it, but Twenty Twelve is back. Lets hope things go better this time. I so missed you Twenty Twelve. I don’t like change that much. This theme fits my needs. I like it and don’t want to give it up.

You may still have to come to my site to leave comments because the comment option may not appear on the WP feed. Just know you are always welcome to the webpage.

Now I can stop obsessing over this site. The comments on the WP feed may not get fixed. I have no idea how to do it and my web mistress isn’t available right now. Shoot. I was starting to wonder if it’s even worth going all out to get a nice theme and arrange it. If people basically read from WP then they can’t see updates to pages or that there’s new information on the sidebar. I’ll still update it though.

Continue reading “My beloved theme is BACK!!!”

Encaustic Rise – A Heart of Fire

Posted on by Faith

Encaustic Rise - Available

Earlier in the day I said, “I have no reason to be awake.” Let me correct that please, and introduce what was done with the anger instead of internalizing it.

A reason to be irritated was that, after turning my phone to do not disturb, I still got a call from Dr. Yes who wants me to come in. I can’t block his number or anyone close in my care team but I blocked most people. Sooo, tomorrow at 1 pm I need to go in. I’m like, what could he want? I though to myself, Faith, you can control the way this appointment goes by the way you speak and respond to him. You can go in there with an attitude or you can go in there with concern and desire to sit down and talk about things. I have that choice..After a short pep talk I painted. I was mad, good and mad. I don’t want to see him but I also didn’t want to lay in bed, facing the wall burning up inside.

The process - Sundrip StudioThis painting was calming for me. It’s also another painting done in one day. I love wax art.

In addition to this piece I was able to scan 19 art pieces that will soon be in the Etsy shop.

It’s funny because, when I was working I kept losing my pen. The first time I got irritated by it I was reminded of our desire to not badger ourselves. It’s a pen. I mean, look at my desk, that pen could be anywhere!!! I eventually found the pen then lost it again but I didn’t abuse myself, didn’t talk down to myself for losing that dang on pen, or the cat !!

Continue reading “Encaustic Rise – A Heart of Fire”

I keep looking at the color

Posted on by Faith

Crystal - Let the Mountains Shake
Chrystal – Original available

I keep looking at the color in the new header on this blog and my Facebook page and I really like it.

The art I sell isn’t the type of art I have displayed in the rooms of my home. I don’t like bright art in my home. I like earth tones, abstract landscapes or abstract seascapes in earth tones. But I keep looking at the colors in the header and I think to myself, I should get a print of the top portion of this painting because I really like it.

I’m not over stimulated by the colors. Usually that’s the problem with me and color, I feel in color and often intensely. I want blues and burgundy, cream, chocolate, mauve, colors like that. But I keep looking at the top portion of the painting called Crystal – Let the Mountains Shake and I’m like, I’m gonna have to get a print of that. I’m also strongly considering using the part of this as my logo (branding) and for my business cards I’m going to get made. Hmmm. Interesting.

Continue reading “I keep looking at the color”

Art Progress on “Twelve”

Posted on by Faith

Progress on this piece is coming along nicely.

The original remains untouched. A copy in my sketchbook was to be a study for a painting in oil but I don’t think I’m going to do that. I like the two pieces and will not do another.

Twelve Progress Pencil

What started out as black and white ended up nearly a completely different piece. I’m blown away by how different they are, especially since I wanted to stay so close to the original.

twelve blkw

The gallery below shows the progress in succession.

“Twelve” will be completed soon.

Thanks for visiting,

Faith

Lineage

Posted on by Faith

Lineage fmaThis painting started as pull art. I created a painting using the drip art technique then looked at it if for a few days. As I was walking by I saw an eye. I quickly drew it in, then the lips and the nose. Days later the painting developed into an ancient woman growing her roots, spreading out the lines of history in her hair.

Once I knew what I wanted to paint I began to think about how people talk about wanting a new start or reinventing themselves. It occurred to me that more than not, the choice to reinvent ourselves is thrust upon us. Time changes, other people change the course of our lives for good or bad. In these ways, we are given the opportunity to change ourselves for the better.

Continue reading “Lineage”

Artist’s Thoughts – This is me 2

Posted on by Faith

Sunset Dancer by SUNDRIP - 2010
Sunset Dancer by SUNDRIP – 2010

As some know, this body of mine dictates if I will move or lie still. Due to a permanent nerve injury to my right arm, I can be limited in action, including holding a tea cup, a cane, paintbrush and pen. In addition, my eyes are growing dim. Strength in several areas of my upper and lower body have deteriorated. Even so, I have one other activity to discuss in which I participate.

I’ve mentioned my love for yoga but in private settings I’ve spoken more. I love contemporary and lyrical dance. I am my own dancer. I have set music that I do yoga stretches to. From there I began to move free-form. Once I realized I’d tapped into something deep in my bones I began to wear a free flowing skirt. I removed the toe from medical compression stocking and moved about joyfully. What do I enjoy? The feminine movements, turning yoga into a dance and doing so not in sweatpants and workout clothes, but in a flowing skirt with “dancers feet” (black compression hose). Sometimes my hair is down but other times the dreadlocks are in a headdress.

In this video, followed by a comment to the choreographer, you can see this style of contemporary dance and lyrical dance. Continue reading “Artist’s Thoughts – This is me 2”

The Growing Process

Posted on by Faith

Growing ProcessArt Title: The Growing Process
Art by: Faith M. Austin
Medium: Acrylic, ink on artist paper, size 8.5 x 5.5 , signed, sealed, unmounted.
The Growing Process is ready to ship today.

Monday afternoon I showed a friend this painting. He said,
“She looks sad”. I replied, “You would be too if you had the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

Yes, she does look sad, and yes great responsibilities are hers. There’s a lot riding on her actions or inaction. However, she has not given up, nor has she slowed the growing process. Continue reading “The Growing Process”