This is the second Spirit Blossom in my series and was made for a dear friend of mine here in Arizona. She found the gourd at the Wuertz Gourd Farm near Casa Grand Arizona. It is different from my first gourd in the fact that it has not been cut open and gutted. When you shake it you can hear the seeds and the dried gourd membrane inside the gourd seemingly speaking to you.
The quotation I used on this gourd reads: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take...but by the moments that take our breath away." (author unknown) Also, placed within the tangles of the vines at the base of the gourd is reference to a scriptural passage that is special to Phyllis. The traditional native American spirit line is also designed into the composition of the artwork. I feel this is a truly "spiritual" piece.
The art process in designing this piece was the same as Spirit Blossom # 1 shown in and an earlier post. The artwork was drawn directly on to the cleaned gourd surface with a black fine point Faber Castell Pitt Penn. The ink in these pens is permanent. The gourd was then sprayed upon completion with a clear acrylic finish.
Making this art piece for Phyllis invigorated my spirit as in the same way that drawing or painting in the out of doors would. There is a "magic" in working with natural things. The piece now sits in Phyllis's home in a special place of its own where she can enjoy its beauty and renew in its serenity.
If I get lonely for it all I have to do is make a visit. :)
