Sundrip Journals
I started working on an abstract sunflower when she was born. I went with it. It was more fun than the free flow of thought I intended to release.
I’ll work on this piece for a bit, which is on canvas, and maybe a small abstract still. We’ll see. I’m happy I didn’t give up!
Live Free. Create Well.
Faith MMagdalene
Zuri is a female juvenile redwing blackbird still new in her wings. Landing is still difficult, thus the broken wing.
Zuri isn’t alone, I too am having difficulties. I can’t seem to finish the flowers on this painting or manage the sky above. I need to redo her arms. I’m so dissatisfied with them.
The art piece is very textured, shaded, layered and embellished. Which means there’s more than the main image itself. There will be many aspects to enjoy once she’s completed.
I’m not going back easel. I’m too frustrated. I’m going to break from her, do an abstract and revisit.
Until soon
Faith Magdalene
I clearly remember the first and last brush strokes of the painting, More Than A Clown.. They were equally moving.
By the time I got the features together I remember the feeling this project was huge, different, emotionally powerful.
I was going to to have to tell a story in color, on her face. A story of someone not taken seriously, not listened to , unseen by people who refused to see. I was going to paint it all; including the parts where they laughed thinking they’d won.
The last expression would be through her hair. Red, blue and purple flames licked the sky all around. The flames licked but did not scorch in the garden where she stood. The name of the garden is Hope. As it is said, “You only start a garden if you hope to see it grow.”
The young woman knows she holds hope in her hands…. and sunflower seeds. I knew I’d have to paint all my that. And I I did. I know it’s a deep piece but ha! it’s her truth and mine.
Live Free. Create Well.
Faith Magdalene’s Sundrip
She smiles. She throws her hands up and she smiles. Amen!
Amen! is in acrylic, layered with paint and pen. She is 9×6 inches on clipboard. The bright, happy colors complement the young girl’s smile and beautiful orange hair. She’s holding a yellow sunny flower to the sky and is standing beside a yellow and purple heart.
The colors in Amen! are red, brilliant blue, deep purple, orange, yellow, sky blue, leaf green, pink, black and white.
Amen! is special, but is she yours? Please find her in my Etsy store. You may also email me.
Live Free. Create Well.
Faith Magdalene’s Sundrip
A person trying to be helpful gave me a word to describe my situation. I thought it was legitimate and not a delusional disorder for the love of Pete! The man contacted me via social media and said it’s gangstalking. I thought he was trying to be helpful.
Here’s the two things I know for a fact!
1. My upstairs neighbor started harassing me by stomping on the floor, then his behavior escalated. I’m afraid of him and his two friends. He’s stalking and harassing me.
2. None of this is about art sales, as was suggested. Art is helping me survive it, like it has helped me survive so many other things.
Art is my go to coping skill. When stressed it’s natural for me to produce more artwork and post it right in the middle of the ongoing issue. These are my coping skills. I’m taking a Saturday crochet class. Pray for me. Lol. I’ve got to learn.
Faith Magdalene
More than a clown is about a once voiceless woman, alone in the dark with her makeup. She was just a clown. She painted on faces until finally someone believed believed she’s more than a clown.
Then hope set in. Flowers began to grow, birds sing their morning songs and bumblebees bring in more life. Yes, change, all around her. There’s hope now that she herself believes she’s more than a clown.
Please see my Etsy shop for purchase details. www.Sundrip.etsy.com
Faith Magdalene Austin at Sundrip
Joe is a guardian cat. A watching feline. A gentle whiskered friend whom I adore. It’s just that sometimes the psychosis pushes me away from him a little, away from people a little. I want to isolate.
I have to force myself to accept this new mental weirdness and fear. I wear paranoia. I’m dripping in it. I only know to fill my cup and clean my paint brushes. Art it out!
Covid-19 handed me a fever high enough to leave permanent hallucinations and damage, for which I feel shame. But my cat Joe still finds me palatable to love and be seen cuddling, openly. His love gives me a little more strength to keep going.
What goes in your cup of trials and stress to dilute it so you can do one more day ? 🙂
Tea cup art by Faith Magdalene Austin
Finishing “Awake” took much effort but it is here, reworked, beaming with color and striking details.
Bellow are my comments.
I woke to a new existence somewhere unknown, they called it a stroke. Now words come like slow snails, or they are kidnapped so as not to form on my chapped lips.
I painted the emotional roller-coaster I felt as I played tug of war with my body, emotions, speech and interpersonal relationships. Ultimately I felt lost, defeated and misunderstood. I also thought I’d never paint again.
Grueling therapy and persistence with paint brushes helped me get to the point where I can say I’m awake. I’m awake to what has happened and the I’m happy the hardest part of it is behind me. Awake is about surviving the body after stroke and making it my new home.
You will find more images and a short video on Etsy. I also accept PayPal.
Thank you for letting me talk. Thank you for visiting SUNDRIP Art for Life.
Faith Magdalene
I wonder if my cat hates my job every bit as much as I hated my mother’s profession? How many times have I said to Joe Schmoe, “Here I come?” but made him wait a long time in dead silence? How many times have I sworn to take a break? “Really, here I come.” Sometimes he looks lonely. I worry he feels ignored just like I did.
Instead of papers and pencils it’s paint brushes and canvas.
I enjoy brushing Joe and chatting at him. The aides adore him and take over loving on him; and I let them. When they leave it goes back to being me and him in silence.
He’s sleeping in bed with me again. He sleeps by my head, curled up, back to me, in silence. It’s always so quiet in here.
I’m at the table, back to Joe. Right now I can only hear the trickle of the waterfall in the Betta tank. Ah, but what is this? Joe has turned the tide? He came to sit beside me and break being apart in silence. He kissed my hand and lay beside me. I’ve got to go. There’s no way I can do anything but spend a few moments with him just as he is asking.
My heart is smiling. The day has been given a great gift.
Faith Magdalene
I intended to keep the colors brighter like always, shockingly bright, but this time darker colors felt right.
The rainbow was given a darker red and a mustard yellow stripe in a midnight blue sky. The clothing of the figures is in plum, dark red, green and blue.
As I worked I realized the high amount of frustration and anger associated with feeling like a freak; feeling broken if not shatteted. Line after line I drew myself shatteted for the last time! I will not do it again.
I felt so hidden behind the lines, even hidden from myself. I’ve described being a multiple like looking into carnival mirrors. It’s hard to know who is who. Well, I may not always know the who but I do know The Way.
I need hope too. I don’t feel hopeless but sometimes I feel like I’m in prison here. I wish I could leave. This isn’t my home anymore. However, I can’t just up and go in the middle of the night – won’t up and go like that. I’ll move somewhere safe, clean. One thing is for sure, there’s no more peace here.
The painting will be in the shop very soon. Check my Etsy.
Faith