Category: Sunflowers

Therapy Review: Permission to Speak

Posted on by F.Magdalene

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”

Sangria and Me

Posted on by F.Magdalene

Sangria “Sangria” stands in my Etsy shop full of surrealism and color. The terracotta tone woman with blue hair thinks nothing of the raven that flew in the door. Why should she, after all, she’s got a house inside a house, evergreen trees shaped like arrows and large sunflowers coming from who knows where. The painting is full of life, full of color and texture. And yes, I decided to wear her, too.

I’ve said it before, but I really wish to drive home the point that when looking at a stranger you can’t see on their face what they are going through in their skin. The purpose of putting my art on my face is to be that obvious, to say loud and clear that Lupus and Fibromyalgia can rot from the inside out. Art is one of the major tools I use to manage life with an “invisible illness”.

You don’t start seeing real signs of illness until the person collapses and finds himself/herself in the hospital with baffled family and friends. She looked okay. She looked “normal” What happened?  Lupus. Fibromyalgia. One of the illnesses listed as “invisible”.

Invisible no more. Sangria – My Face My Art   . Continue reading “Sangria and Me”

Becoming Me – Lullaby Collection

Posted on by F.Magdalene

Becoming fmaIt is common for me to blast color on paper, edge to edge with twisting and twirling images. Sometimes though, I paint art for children. The showcase piece today is called “Becoming Me”. Two other pieces are included in this entry as children’s art. Continue reading “Becoming Me – Lullaby Collection”

Priscilla Handmade African American Rag Doll and Sunflower

Posted on by F.Magdalene

PDoll 1This is the very first item I am offering for the new year which really makes me smile.       SOLD

This young lady is a handmade African American rag doll with a hand painted face and handmade clothes. She’s a lovely girl, a shelf sitter girl to be added to your collection. Although she is sturdy, she is not meant to be a toy. The dolls photographed with her are part of my personal collection and are not for sale. They’re mine all mine. lol

Back to Priscilla. She is approximately 15 inches and has been hand painted and heat sealed three times. Her shoes are hand painted and sealed as well. Miss Priscilla’s dress is made of red, white and brown checked material. It’s not a bright red. I don’t know the names of these fabrics but I can tell you it used to be a skirt purchased for it’s material 🙂 It is the perfect look for a folk doll. Her little scarf is olive green with a tiny little gold dot to match the gold edges. (Please note: there is a gold dot spill on the scarf. It would have been worse had I attempted to correct it. I left it.) Priscilla is wearing tiny little white undies. Her short, simple hair is made of soft, textured yarn that resembles African American hair. As with many of my dolls I’ve given her a soft red glow on her cheeks, blue above her eyes and sweet lips.

Continue reading “Priscilla Handmade African American Rag Doll and Sunflower”

Vibrant Sunflower. Graceful. Intimate

Posted on by F.Magdalene

il_570xN.822739748_622vI’m trying to describe an art piece that is currently untitled. When I look at the piece I see Sundrip “signatures” such as edge to edge figures and a massive amount of detail and color. With signatures in place, does this art differ from the other work I’ve done? First and foremost, I know I created this work with the same purpose as most others; art is my one of my main coping skills.

Although there are numerous faceless figures, they all appear to be interacting peacefully. At least two groups are intimately engaged. To the left of the central figure, there’s a couple that appear to be dancing. To the far right there is a couple embracing as they look over their child who is reaching up to them. In every scene there is movement free of disparity and emotional struggle. Despite the Sundrip signature, this piece stands out as different than the others. Continue reading “Vibrant Sunflower. Graceful. Intimate”

Priscilla Doll and Sunflower

Posted on by F.Magdalene
Priscilla and Sunflower
Priscilla and Sunflower

I’ve had the itch to sew for a good month. I’ve finally gathered the dolls I’d like to complete and started adding their final touches.

This young lady is a handmade African American rag doll with a hand painted face and handmade clothes. She’s a lovely girl, a shelf sitter girl to be added to your collection. Although she is sturdy, she is not meant to be a toy. The Indian doll is not for sale, the pendant she’s wearing is in the Etsy shop. .

Soon Priscilla will have her shoes and will sit in my Etsy shop along with this dried artichoke presented as an ornamental sunflower. Expect her to have a light scent of lavender. If you’ll notice, she’s sitting against a wall of lavender.

Continue reading “Priscilla Doll and Sunflower”

I might have been torn to pieces

Posted on by F.Magdalene
Jung Art


To the extent that I managed to translate the emotions into images that is to say, to find the images which were concealed in the emotions I was inwardly calmed and reassured.

Had I left those images hidden in the emotions, I might have been torn to pieces by them.

There is a chance that I might have succeeded in splitting them off; but in that case I would inexorably have fallen into a neurosis and so been ultimately destroyed by them.

As a result of my experiment I learned how helpful it can be, from the therapeutic point of view, to find the particular images which lie behind the emotions.

Carl Jung

The bird flew in the window fma

A Bird Flew in the Window

I Release Her

I release her

fma

Venture to Know

Posted on by F.Magdalene

Venture to Know by FMAA large sunflower mandala, a white butterfly and stone embellishments cradle the main subjects of the painting called Venture to Know. Her hair becomes the tree that reaches into a red and turquoise sky. Her face is divided into copper, wood, bark, Indiana yellow and flaming red. Deep set are the dark eyes of this figure, deep set lined in turquoise, Indian yellow and coal black. Her lips are white and cracked like the detailed crags and bare tree.

Are these scars on her face or life experiences? Are the divisions made to keep peace or to keep away? Continue reading “Venture to Know”

Rustic Sunflower

Posted on by F.Magdalene

Rustic Sunflower fmaAt 9 inches by 6 inches this painting is stunning when matted and framed. It’s worn look gives an emotional feel for which I have no words, so I can only describe to you what is in the painting.

There is one large sepia toned sunflower in full bloom surrounded by large, dark green leaves standing tall and reaching high. The forest green leaves mixed with spring green and black contrast against an aged turquoise background. The background has a rubbed, antique worn, wood appearance. The two stalks merge at soil level where small white and small black flowers emerge.

Other details: Colors bleed from green to black to turquoise. The leaves of the sunflower as well as the entire background itself are texture rich. If you are a sunflower lover and like the sepia tone, red sunflower or autumn colors with a snap then you will love this painting. Continue reading “Rustic Sunflower”

Sunflowers Bless My Home

Posted on by F.Magdalene

Sunflowers Bless My Home fmaSunflowers Bless My Home was super fun. She’s bright and beautiful, dreamy and just fun! A young girl stands with her arm out stretched with a large sunflower winding around her arm until it comes to an arch over the house of music. Green leaves touch the deep blue and purple sky. The white moon shares the purple and blue.

You can see the young woman with black hair in the red dress, breath the night air in as she stands in the grass by the rocky walkway home. It is a magical, fantasy and cheerful collage that would do well in any home or business office such as children’s dentistry or the bedroom of your young child whose imagination will be indulged. Continue reading “Sunflowers Bless My Home”