Mixed media on paper. 8" x 5" Win it here and PURCHASE A PRINT HERE.
This doodle originated at last week's Open Art Studio, while doing a brief oil painting demo, to help my friend, Elana, recreate a song and a memory on canvas.
Then a flock of birds flew from the oil.
I kept the demo paper, thinking it might grow into a doodle later in the week.
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I've been re-reading one of my favorite books, True Love by Thich Khat Hanh. It's a book about bringing mindfulness into relationships using four mantras:
Dear one, I am here for you.
Dear one, I know you are here, and it makes me happy.
Dear one, I know you are suffering, and I am here for you.
Dear one, I am suffering. Please help me.
It's a beautiful book, and when I read it, I am reminded of the sheer awesomeness available in each moment, requiring only that I show up and notice it. Not always so easy, hence the practices of mindful breathing and listening. Still not so easy...
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There was a period of time in my early twenties in which I wanted to be a journalist. It began with adventurous fantasies about traveling around the globe on assignment for National Geographic. Then, while guiding school groups through the Arboretum's Japanese Gardens, where new layers of a magical world are revealed from every step, I realized it was really that I wanted to write love letters to the world, about the world. I wanted humanity to fall in love.
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My oldest brother, Leif, taught me to meditate when I was about 11 years old. I sat next to him, cross legged, and I had a vision of becoming a tall mage named the Joyful Princess. I would travel in spurts from a little village in the mountains, and bring back stories of the world from beyond. The people in the village were warm and merry, and all about a foot shorter than me. At night, they would take the brightly colored blankets from their homes, lay them in the sand streets, and watch the stars, whispering and singing their love. They were always happy to see me return, and eager for my tales.
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Tonight, I cut a window to put in front of the little oil painting of the sun rising from the mountains. It blocked out too much of the view. I wrote the words Open and Love. The window listened. It expanded and made room, for Your, Letter, Dear One.
Open your Love Letter, Dear One
Just look at the beautiful, wonderful Now! Love!
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A love letter... a love song... Elana's song!
The song's heroine, Aicha, when offered riches and jewels replies:
Keep your treasures,
Me, I'm worth more than that.
Bars are still bars, even if made of gold.
I want the same rights as you
and respect for each day.
Me, I want only love.
You can hear Cheb Kaleb sing Aicha, live from Casablanca here.
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Tonight I put Doodle #93 into a small manila envelope with a hand written note on a post-it stuck to the back, and addressed it in bold sharpie letters to a set designer in California who I met at a party years ago.
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To win the original of Doodle #95, Open your Love Letter, Dear One, share this link on your facebook page and tag or message Eliza Furmansky Fine Art so I know to put your name in my lottery jar. If I've "liked" your post, you know you're in the drawing.
Add a title, story, lyric, or thought, and I'll put your name in twice! I love reading your responses and interpretations!
Thank you, Dear Ones.
The Drawing for the original will be Thursday night, 9/18/2014!
Click here to see the ALL of the Doodles so far!
