Long Pauses

In my art practice, I have become accepting of long pauses. Breaks in time. Periods of (seeming) inactivity. I can be, have been, impatient with the process and feel despair during these breaks.  However, over time I have become more calm and accepting of them. Sometimes they are circumstantial - like right now, while caring for my mother who has Parkinson's and Dementia. There literally is no time or energy left at the end of the day. But other times it is more like a silence of the muse or a turning away of attention of the gods. Kind of like hearing the message that there are other things to attend to in this time. 

And - this piece - "no words" - signalled nearing the end of this particular series, at this particular time.  I didn't know it at the time. Although I might have predicted it.  I had no idea that caregiving was so all-consuming. And I did know I was heading into that, sort of. 

So here we are. I haven't painted any new pieces in several months. But, I'm still very connected to this series - and am very much enjoying having them around me. I've painted the art I want to live with, and for now, I'm content.

There will be movement - nothing stays the same. Everything changing all the time. For now, though, I'm resting in the pause. With no more words.