For Adebanji's Journal: Mug Shots

Homeless

4"x 4" ea. acrylic on paper

We comfort ourselves by reliving memories of protection. Something closed must retain our memories, while leaving them their original value as images. Memories of the outside world will never have the same tonality as those of home and, by recalling these memories, we add to our store of dreams; we are never real historians, but always near poets, and our emotion is perhaps nothing but an expression of a poetry that was lost.

-Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space (1958)

Bachelard contends that our first home is forever imprinted on our soul. It is the place where we feel safe and free to dream.  I think, beyond shelter, home is a condition of feeling loved and secure. Of belonging. At home, true home, the world makes sense.  The act of being uprooted, whether through economic hardship, natural disaster, war, abuse, mental or physical infirmity, sets the stage for anxiety, fear and desperation.

The young married couple above were homeless before being arrested for and convicted of theft. For the next year and a half their home will be the Frederick County Detention Center. I don't know what combination of choice and circumstance led to their current predicament. I do wonder what dreams they may have for the future.

Adebanji, your book is on its way home.

May you all feel loved, and safe to dream.

pax,

Liz

For Dean

Rich is the Heart that finds Love

5" x 7-1/2"

acrylic on watercolor paper

This is my entry in Dean Haven's moleskine journal. We started our journal exchange about a year 1/2 ago, and I only have one more to receive before mine comes home full of beautiful artwork from twelve fellow painters around the globe. Very fun! I feel very lucky to have been able to participate.

Lilies for Vern

acrylic sketch on watercolor paper

8.5" x 11" 

I've always loved day lilies. They're resilient, wild, beautiful,  drought tolerant, and glorious for the short time they're with us.  This is my entry in Vern Schwarz's  journal for The Flying Moleskines journal swap.
 Pax.

October Sky for Sheila

7"x7"

acrylic on paper

For Sheila Tajima's journal in the Flying Moleskin's journal swap.

Fall is my favorite season. I love the deepening, more intense colors, the cool snap to the air,  the quickened pace.  Free from summer's humid weight, life feels sharper, clearer, more textured.  Light is lower, shadows longer, richer, and more mysterious. I imagine the trees are relieved to drop the burden of holding up all of those leaves, and sing when they decorate the landscape.

wishing you a bountiful new season...

My Front Porch

mixed media sketch
in moleskine journal

This is my sketch in Irit Bourla's journal for the Flying Moleskins journal swap. Irit's theme is local places, and since I don't go too far afield these days, out the front door seemed handy.  Our home was built in 1920, and has a long covered porch with a swing at one end. When the weather's decent, it's a relatively quiet spot to relax. So relaxing, in fact, that it wasn't until after I'd finished the sketch that I realized I'd done it upside down in the book! Apologies, Irit, but I've cut it out, and glued it in right side up.  Your book's flying to Adebanji tomorrow.

Happy Summer everyone.