This painting is inspired by a conch shell, one that I secreted out of The Princess's empty bedroom and brought into the studio last week. It's got a story, as does this painting.
The Princess is named for my Grandmother, whom I called Gompie but was christened Anna. Gompie was my best friend on pretty much every level for my entire life. As my Anna grew up, I was delighted to see so much of Gompie in her. It was a heartwarming reminder to recognize facets of the woman I aspired to be growing up in my own home.
So when we planned a drive down the east coast last summer, it was important to me that I introduce Anna to Assateague Island, where Gompie took me when I was about her same age. Assateague is one of those places that is raw and vulnerable and fierce, where I felt in tune with the universe, even as a teenager. So here we are, a generation later, on the ocean side of the island, walking the same beach I had with my grandmother, and I was feeling particularly sentimental. As we talked, we wandered far past the families and beach activity to a nearly empty stretch of beach. The surf was heavy, the gulls floated above, and the sand stretched ahead of us while I watched my girl stand there, letting the waves wash over her legs. My baby would be going off to college this time next summer, it had been five years since Gompie had passed away, and I was feeling two losses simultaneously. I was overwhelmed and began to cry. At that same moment, the ocean gifted something at Annie's feet. As the waves rolled out, they revealed a large glistening shell, nearly perfect, resting at her toes. Anna picked it up, turned to me and exclaimed "Gompie's here!"
So last week, after signing
my selfie daydream, I was pondering what sort of prompt to use for the next piece that would be particularly meaningful. And I remembered the conch shell in Anna's room. This result, Daydream 27, tells me a story of love, strength, being rooted in one's truth, with open arms and an open heart. The process of creating this piece brought me to tears, good ones, because I have THIS inside of me (along with two pretty remarkable Anna's) and am lucky enough to be able to manifest if for others to see. (and because I have THIS inside of me and the memories of creating this painting, I am able to let it go out into the world.)
Thanks so very much for following along on my art journey,
Warmly, Kim
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