Bare skin, wrapped in Aspen fir,
A Barefoot trail leading the way through the star-glistened snow,
Creating a map and compass fronted by the North Star,
She heads into the darkest wooded path.
She comes upon a clearing around a corner,
in the thickest, darkest part of the forest
She travels far and her cold rigid body urges her to lean in further.
Relentless miles urge her on,
And finally, as she begins to drag her weary body to a crawl, she suddenly gasps.
For peeking through the darkness of the muddled bramble
is a little golden light, just bright enough to create a spark,
That suddenly lights aglow her surroundings,
sharpening her sight, thawing her hands, deepening her breath, warming her belly -
She is revealed in this familiar place;
her reflected image draping the forest floor,
Evidence of her is in every crevice of roots, flora, and fauna.
Tilting her head through the darkness, she looks up towards the star-studded sky and exhales warm light,
letting go of all she previously carried within…
A golden rabbit appears.
The spark for this piece…
I tend to be inspired by the people I surround myself with every day, most especially those I see who are actively self-reflective, meaning they are consciously tackling the inner undulating emotional work of self-transformation and self-empowerment, all the while creating space to support others so that they too can be supported as versions of their best selves. Ironically, creating space for others seems to be a diminished concept in a world where everyone is desperately seeking to be seen. Community is so important. We are - all of us - living in trying times right now. The world is changing faster than it ever has, and we need to fill ourselves while creating a connection with others that keeps hope alive. Winter solstice allows us the time for self-reflection and space for how we might respond to everything happening around us – and within us – with care, mindfulness, and intention. It is the time to let go of what isn’t serving us, and allow ourselves space for an awakening. You don’t need to worship a deity to tap into a source of power, you need only look within to access your own. But remember, it is the community with which one surrounds oneself with that will support the journey of being one’s best self. So choose wisely.
I worked from an image of my friend Chanelle Sinclair for this piece ‘Winter Solstice Golden heART. It isn’t surprising that this is the second painting of mine she has appeared in (you can find the first one under ‘Queens’ in the galleries section, or just head HERE. She is someone who has faced adversity over and over and chooses to rise each time, with authenticity (openly sharing her triumphs along with her pain and struggles as a way of creating an invitational space for others struggling to be seen and validated and thereby diminishing any shame associated with it. She exuberates a type of fierceness - and yet despite this, she maintains an accessible gentleness (hence the symbolic use of the rabbit in the painting). She has been a quintessential phoenix rising and modelled a woman’s power to draw deeply inward and pull out a life force to overcome, modelling courage for those who follow her. And we can all use a little bit more of that in this world.
This original painting + prints are available HERE