Since I last wrote here in February when I created my fairy house, I've been painting more than I have in many years. In May I had a setback with fatigue and that slowed me down, but forced me to get some much needed rest. As a result (I believe), a few weeks ago my speech cleared up to an almost normal pace! It happened for one week, then got a little slow again, but it is still better than before. Healing from a stroke is a very unpredictable thing. Therefore it's important to always have hope.
One big announcement is that I have received a microgrant from the Huntington Arts Council for an exhibition and presentation I will be doing in October titled "Beyond Words: Healing Through the Arts After Stroke". I am SO thankful to the Huntington Arts Council for this grant! I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be able to afford to buy art supplies I wouldn't have been able to otherwise and be supported by an arts organization to create new art. I will have so many new paintings for the October show and will do a presentation for the community.
As I continue to heal from the strokes, I find my progress is reflected in my art. Just this year, I have done works in different styles that express a range of emotions that have to do with various stages of healing. What comes out is as strange to me as it might be for others, I say this with a laugh, but sometimes it takes me a while to understand my own art. I like what I'm doing but I don't choose it. As always, I just begin painting and let whatever needs to be expressed emerge on its own.
In a few recent paintings, I used black which I hadn't done in decades, but it felt good, and appropriate for what I was feeling. Some of them I call the war paintings. Then I painted on canvases that were first painted black and those came out very peaceful and positive. I'm presently working on a horizontal canvas (rare for me) which is very light and colorful and is the visual expression of the song of my birth. I won't show that one yet, but will definitely include it in the exhibition in October. There are at least several more canvases to do before my show and I look forward to seeing what will be expressed. Sometimes I don't know what I feel until my art shows me. That's the power of art.
“The Song of a Quotation”, oil on canvas, 28” x 22”. Copyright Robyn Bellospirito 2024, All Rights Reserved.