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Holly Kallie Fine Art
by Holly Kallie on 6/18/2009 7:32:58 AM
Love Comes in Many Colors
The idea for this painting was taken from a trip to the seashore with my little granddaughter. Her mother and I dressed her in her new striped sun dress and polka dot sun hat and went out to capture some photos at sunset. "Daisy" is a bundle of curiosity and constant motion and it was humorous to follow her delighted and exuberant foray up and down the beach. Trying to capture a photo or two when she was not in motion was somewhat interesting. She temporarily became fascinated with the ebb and flow of the water at her feet before she got so delighted with the waves that she wound up wet from head to toe.
As I started this painting, I thought that it would be fun to paint the many colored dress and hat and that it would be "all about the outfit." As the painting unfolded, I played with different titles and found it impossible to come up with something that didn't sound silly or trite.
It has been hinted that perhaps the reoccurring themes in my work are somewhat saccharin. That may be the case to some of my viewers, but for me, it has become a stream of images that express some of the many colors of love in my world. It is what matters the most to me, and therefore I must paint it. I think back over the years, of the many faces of my loved ones, parents, brother, children, friends and lovers and now grandchildren. Each one holds a place in my heart, forever. Sometimes it seems too much for my heart to contain, but that is only when I mistakenly miss the physical presence of someone I love. Then I realize that love is forever. Even though I cannot see them, that love is alive and vibrant. I understand what a gift it is just to feel it.
Daisy came to us from the other side of the world. My daughter and her husband decided to adopt a little girl from China. We all waited 3 long years for her to join us. It was an uncertain, but hopeful and exciting time. Not much is known about her past, other than she was abandoned by her mother within a day of her birth and then had a foster mother for a year. When she came to us, she had to leave her foster mother, the only mother she had really known. It makes you wonder, at first, if there is a memory of abandonment deep inside. However, right from the start, she let everyone know that her path in this world was to grab every moment with complete joy and enthusiasm. She is a child who finds everything and everyone an occasion to laugh, play, explore and love. She is fearless and focused on the now.
Sometimes our best teachers come in small packages. I have been reminded by her and her journey, that the best approach to life is with a huge smile and a sense of adventure. It is a difficult path to follow at times, but she continues to show me the way, for love does come in many colors, and I think it will take me a lifetime to paint them all, because it is what I was meant to do.
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by Holly Kallie on 6/12/2009 9:02:38 AM
The Memory Keeper
This painting and following poem were created to honor a young man and his beautiful family. He was a dear friend of my youngest son and loved by our whole family. He passed into non-physical unexpectadly, 3 years ago, and is lovingly held in memory by all who knew him.
The stones that many of us collect often contain lovely memories for us. The idea for the title and also the poem came to me as I finished this piece. I hope that it will honor his beautiful spirit, the gentle strength of his wife and his sweet little son. The poem was written by Cristina R. M. Norcross.
"The Memory Keeper"
I will be the memory keeper of time ~
the way trees whisper history
with every wind blown leaf that falls,
Discovery will guide our fingers,
as your breath of wonder
and my breath of pride carry us forward.
I will be the memory keeper of dreams,
watching you find your footing amongst the stones.
After you offer up a prized rock,
we will ponder the crystallized gifts inside.
I will be the memory keeper of love,
sharing stories of the great love that brought you to me.
I will always hold dear that sacred union.
Thankfulness will spring forth,
like a fountain that showers down upon parched earth.
I will never be left wanting
inside the heart of memory.
Within these stones.
within your hands ~
you hold our stories.
We will be the memory keepers of living.
Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2009
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