Paradox

One thing that I consider to be more and more vital in my life is stillness. The value of this makes itself apparent I many ways, and the idea of stillness was the genesis of this watercolor work. In early summer, I had taken a few minutes to be quiet on the back porch. It was just at the time of year that everything seems to come to life at once; when all the colors of summer make an appearance. In my stillness (and I think because of it) I was able become fully aware of the movement all around me: certainly the light breeze in the leaves, but also the sense that there was an orchestration of movement and color. The sky and trees were in an intricate dance with the nearby flowers. I loved the paradox of this moment, the stillness that made it possible to be aware of the energy and restless motion of life all around me. Fragments of color became an integrated image. This painting is my effort to express that moment of paradox.