This piece is partly a tribute to the Redwood Forest and partly an investigation into the divinity of the forest.
Hummingbirds are seen by many cultures as messengers from the spirit realm. Although small, hummingbirds have a significant impact on the ecological system and life on Earth. In their harmonious partnership with flowers they take sweetness and in return pollinate other flowers. Hummingbirds give and receive what they need to sustain their life. Although their small bodies hum and beat with quick energy they also take time to rest, able to go into a state called torpor. They are a reminder to handle challenges in life with grace and agility, to enjoy the sweetness of life, that small actions can have a large impact, and that spirit guides are present.
Foxgloves were once called “fairy’s gloves” because the disturbed soil in which they grew was thought to be the territory of little folk. Some believed the spots on the flowers were fairy fingerprints. They were also thought to be fairy bells, warning each other when danger was coming. They are said to bob and shake even when there is no breeze because they are bowing to unseen forces and that their dew could be collected to cast spells to aid in communicating with fairies. Foxglove are potentially fatally poisonous if ingested while also used for medicinal purposes to treat ailments of the heart. This duality of good and evil symbolizes the harmony and balance of life. They are symbols of magic and healing and of communicating with unseen forces.
In this piece the hummingbird carries golden thread. The tangled threads of destiny are untied and allows a clear connection to the spirit world. The golden thread runs through all on Earth; it connects all beings, past, present, future. It runs through individuals and connects them to themselves and others.
Doors are opened when we connect with each other, life on Earth, and the universe. This painting for me is a reminder to remain open to my intuition, to the Earth, to the universe, and to each other; to remember that we are all connected by the golden thread of life running through us, the air, the water, the Earth, and the stars.
