Category: Flowers

Surviving to Eke out Gratitude

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My Face My Art - Half FullMonday was one of the hardest days I’ve had in a while. It started off with nightmares that stayed with me for much of the day. I tried to go back to bed to start over but had yet another nightmare. Then as planned, I got myself together, got on my horse (wheelchair) and left the house despite mega pain. I went to the shoe store and cried my eyes out in the store unexpectedly. I had no idea the grief would hit me right there in DSW but it did and there I sat crying in my chair in front of people. I felt like a fool.

Later I went to the post office to send out art only to discover that it was Columbus Day, no mail. That would have been fine except I was already at my max of stress and physical pain. Then later the big worry happened, I fell. Continue reading “Surviving to Eke out Gratitude”

Journal Work in Progress

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Journaling until I’m blue in the face. Work in progress.

“Someone Else” in watercolor and acrylic. All work shown is on 8.5 x 5.5 paper.

“Froggie Smiles”.  These are photographs. I’m looking forward to scanning so these look right. This is much darker than the actual painting. I’m working on the details of all these pieces. Once I have the colors in mind it doesn’t take long to finish.

This last one was created for the sole purpose of testing out new paints. It’s a paint pallet sheet. Sometimes when I just need to draw but there’s nothing specific to do, I draw lines on paper this way and wait to use it later to test paint or clean brushes.

Faith

Three Birds

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Fifteen days total but halfway through I began to lose myself to the constant and extreme pain. My medication cocktail sometimes caused me to see dragons and aliens. I’d been in intensive care for the bilateral pulmonary embolism and life threatening blood clots. I was about to begin a chapter of life I’ll never forget, one that has left physical scars and emotional pain. What I’ve decided to do is express some of those experiences through art.

The first experience in multi media is called Three Birds.

Half way through ICU care I was losing it. The doctors worried I’d have to go on dialysis. My kidneys were shutting down, my heart was in trouble too. I was in trouble and I knew it so I asked my God, “Are you with me?” I needed to know if He knew his servant needed his comfort and approval. Continue reading “Three Birds”

Adopted Art: Jane’s Flowers Bloom

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As you know, art without a wall of its own is sad, but today “Jane’s Flowers Bloom” was adopted. To celebrate this momentous occasion is the legendary Phil Collins singing, “In the Mail Tonight”.

Art Title:  Jane’s Flowers Bloom
Art by:  Faith Magdalene Austin
Media:  Colored pencil, ink, card stock
Size:  4 x 7 inches
Finish: Acrylic seal, signed on the front and back, unmounted.
Style: Primitive, African Americana, Ethnic Folk Art

Jane's Flowers Bloom - SOLDTake it away Phil!Jane's Flowers Bloom - SOLD

Well I remembah, I remembah orange flurries, flurries, flurries
How could I ever forget
It’s the first bloom,
the white moon
and an intimate moment.
But I know the reason why you kept your purse closed up,
Oh no you can’t resist me.
Well the love it shows
and the heart it rose
with a flower from you to me
(enter awesome drum solo)
I can feel it coming in the mail tonight, hold on
I’ve been waiting for a wall of all my own, oh Lord, oh Lord
I’ll be coming in the mail tonight oh Lord
for a wall
of my own. oh Lord  (end remake)

Me: Thank you so much Phil for coming to Sundrip to sing that classic song; a song for all time. What do you think Mary Jane, studio cat?
Mary Jane: That song chokes me up every time. He kills it on the drums. Amazing job Phil. Thanks for coming.
Me: Thanks to everyone who has given original art the only thing it’s ever wanted, a wall of its own.

Is there wall space in your home? Can you open your heart to grant the wish of original art? If so, please visit my Available Art galleries as well as my Etsy shop. Contact me and we’ll work together to stamp out homeless art.

Available Art. Available, too. Etsy shop. PayPalMe.

Faith Magdalene Austin
Artist
Mary Jane Austin
Studio Cat and Quality Control Manager

She Brings Home the Light

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She Brings Home the Light - availableShe’s long. Her body and imagination stretch far, farther than anyone expected. Flowers bloom around her in every known species. Flourishing are the petals of delicate purple flowers, blooms of soft blue, golden sun yellow and soothing buttercup. She is wrapped in the color of the rainbow and holds in her hand a shining star, a beaming star whose light she keeps in her heart.

A Little History
“She Brings Home the Light” started with a simple swirl in the middle of sanded Burch wood panel. I knew I wanted a young woman to be in the middle of growth, for her to be held by but I struggled to translate the idea on canvas. I put her up and took her down more times than I can count.

I knew I was getting closer to what I wanted but there was still something missing, so on the shelf she stayed. At one point I decided I should hang her up so as to see her daily and toss around ideas of how to accurately translate the image in my head.She Brings Home the Light - available

I refused to stray from the original vision.

As time went on, by time I mean years, I added a stroke here, removed a stroke there. Ah, then the end of 2016 came and the drive to finish her grew strong. After years of strokes, dots, dabs and flower petals I knew I accurately placed the image in my head onto the panel that patiently waited to be called ‘finished’. I present to you a SUNDRIP – Art for Life original called “She Brings Home the Light.”

Art Title: “She Brings Home the Light”
Art by: Faith Magdalene Austin
Media: Acrylic, ink on Burch board
Size: 11.3.5 x 7.5
Finish: Hand sealed, signed on front and back,
Style: Whimsical, African American Art

Original art can be purchased through PayPal or by visiting my Etsy shop. Please see the link on the sidebar for contact information and for the Etsy link. Have questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

Thanks you for visiting Sundrip,
Faith

A Beautiful Day

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Beautiful Day - Redbubble
Beautiful Day

“Beautiful Day” is a small acrylic painting of a little girl carrying a single flower walking through a meadow of wildflowers.

When I first started this painting the little girl was at the top of a steep hill holding a small flower. She looked down to the single bud below. There was a decision to be made, will she keep what she knows or risk and live in the new? I answered my own question.

The young girl is now at the bottom of the hill where not one flower survives but a bountiful garden of lavender, green and soft yellow grows farther than she can see. She carries the first flower still, there was no reason to leave it behind, no reason to abandon all when moving forward.

The original of Beautiful Day found a wall of it’s own but you can find her in small to large size prints in my Redbubble  print shop. Wait ’till you see her on the tote bag and pillow. She’s adorable! “Beautiful Day” is what I like to call smile, feel good art.

Until soon,
Faith

Making Room for More

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Ah, it’s time to start really thinning things out at home. I’ve tackled one corner of my room that has been bugging me for a good long time. It’s the space where I hold all my old art journals and writing journals.

art by FMAustin

A person can only have so much art before it starts to come out of places it shouldn’t, so I’m cleaning out the studio. Here’s what I’m doing, as much as it hurts to do so, some complete art journals are being tossed out while some are being kept. Some that are being thrown away have drawings taken out of them that I’ll keep.

As far as the journals that are being kept, they’re being stored in a waterproof and air tight container. The individual pieces are stored in a filing system thingamabob. In a day or two I will start scanning the individual pieces then put them up on Etsy.

Continue reading “Making Room for More”

Therapy Review: Permission to Speak

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Holding out for MoreI saw my psychiatrist today. We talked about the suicidal feelings. She asked if I feel suicidal at the Kingdom Hall. I said no, I feel like I can make it one more day. She and my psychologist suggested I stick close to the brothers and sisters. but especially try my best to be there in person.

I know my attitude stinks. I’ve got to pray much more about that……

Dr. D and I are taking on an art project where I let my body speak. Often I form experiences and emotions on canvas but they’re from my head. They’re all but photographs of my mind at that time. The rather large therapy painting will be a painting where body expresses itself as it goes through medical changes.

Imagine not speaking the language of anyone around you. Pictures are all you’ve got to tell how you experience the world, the world where there is only one person, one physical being. Now that body has to try and free itself of silence so that bitterness is released. It needs to speak and I can tell and I have a feeling this assignment will be very emotional, humbling and beneficial. I think I’ll have a sense of freedom. I think it’ll give me relief.

A moment of self talk

Continue reading “Therapy Review: Permission to Speak”