Only Love

What does it look like to invite gentleness in? What does it look like to open to being as kind as possible with yourself? What does it look like to offer a prayer to the Divine nurturing force you long for? For me, this week, this is how it looks.

I created this piece, just because my heart wanted to. Double late tulips are a new favorite of mine. They feel like a sibling to peonies, my most beloved. Painting white flowers is a joy because every spark of color feels like a surprise and a gift.

This painting is a prayer for each of us softening and opening to love.

"Only love, with no thought of return can soften the point of suffering." Mark Nepo

"Only Love" 70" x 38" (c) Bronwen Mayer Henry SOLD

What Selling 100 Paintings Has Taught Me

Today I'm bursting with gratitude. I am celebrating a tremendous milestone of selling 100 paintings, and I'm stunned by the love and joy that has poured into my life along the way. Four years ago I was in the middle of treating Thyroid Cancer, I didn't have a daily creative practice, and I was quite anxious about the impact of this illness on my life.

If you had told me four years ago that I'd be painting daily and have the chance to share my art with so many amazing people, I'm not sure I could believe you. And yet, here I am.

Stepping into a daily practice of compassion for myself and others through painting has taught me the beauty that is possible in life. That the hard things that befall us may have un-transformable physical consequences and yet the spirit has every possibility to open, grow, heal, and awaken to love.

Based on this tremendous opening in my life, and marking this milestone, this is the message I want to share with you, especially if you are going through challenges and can't imagine transformation ahead:

Dear friend in your darkest hour,
Here with you friend. You aren't alone. It hurts. A lot. You are sad. Afraid. Lonely. Unsure. Part of you wants to talk and part of you can't find words.

What I'm going to tell you is going to be hard to believe. it might even feel confrontational. It may very well be too soon for you to fully hear it. And I'm telling you anyway.

This moment right here. It is dark. And this darkness may feel like the end. It might feel like despair. And in many ways it is. And the story isn't over friend.

Stay the course. Take a bath. Talk to a friend. Sit quietly with a cup of tea. Keep going. Do your best. Show up. Cry. Shout. Dance. Move. Be Still. Breathe. Think less. Expand your awareness to others suffering with you. And also contract your awareness down to the inhale, the exhale, the space in between. Be gentle, always gentle with yourself.

Your story is still unfolding in ways you can't prepare for and in ways more beautiful (yes, beautiful) than you can imagine. This diagnosis does not define you. And yet this moment, your response to it, this is shaping you. It is helping you to access something within you, something in the community around you, that you didn't realize was there all along.

You will find a new level of compassion that will change you and change your life. You will crack open in a way that will refuse to be ignored again. You will be able to understand and be present with others suffering more fully. Your heartache is because your heart is opening. Trust it. Know that it won't be your last heartache, and yet you will remember this one, this first big opening. And one day, you will be counting this moment in your blessings. And you will be sharing a message of hope with others.

"What if this darkness is not the darkness of the tomb, but the darkness of the womb." Valarie Kaur

***
Postscript: To my surprise and delight my 100th original sold has found its new home with a hero of mine, Dr. Dan Gottlieb . And today before delivering this painting I opened up my sketchbook to write a note to Dr. Dan describing my inspiration and reflections in the development of this painting. And to my astonishment I found that Dan's very words were part of the inspiration of this painting. I had created it inspired by his words, not knowing it would end up in his home.

If I could sum up my learning from these 100 paintings
it would be that there is stunning love and joy available to us if we can breathe and be present and courageous enough to accept it.

"We cannot survive without hope. But sometimes hope can keep us stuck waiting or wishing for something to change before we can find well-being. Hopelessness can help us release our grasp on unwinnable battles opening the door to living the lives we have with gratitude."

Painting pictured: "Release Our Grasp" 48" x 48" (c) Bronwen Mayer Henry

Open to Freedom

You can see the canvas. Here I also speak to what you can't see.  (or read the description below):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIcA6IXRfFs

I've been working on this yellow rose for a few days now. And I love how unexpected the color is. I haven't painted a yellow rose before, and there is a level of concentration and freedom that happens for me at the canvas of a new experience. I don't know what will happen. I'm witnessing it as much as anyone else. 

More than the subject of the canvas, I'm interested in the experience of the heart in the creative process. A heart free from the burden of thought, fear, worry. Fully present. 

I am so thankful that I've developed some muscle in unlocking the barriers that held me back. I continue to smile at my former self who would think "I can't paint. Others are better." I can hardly believe that I permitted those thoughts to hold me back from feeling the peace and joy I do at the canvas today.

Maybe all this canvas talk is too distracting for you. Let me illustrate it in another way. Imagine walking along the beach. The air is warm and full, the waves of the ocean are calming. The sand is grounding and reminds you to be playful, interactive, fully present. And you feel so peaceful. 

This is how I feel at the canvas. 

Can you imagine NOT walking on the beach because someone else was walking? Or someone else walked better or faster? Or looked better while walking? 

I hope we can all see this thread of thought as ludicrous. And yet at the canvas, at the piano, at the microphone, at the race we sometimes hold ourselves back. We focus on other people and what they think or how we compare to them. Rather than focusing on the joy that unfolds when we paint, practice our instrument, sing at an open mic, or run in a race.

This painting offered me a reminder of the familiar and transformative message. When I show up to my restorative practice something unexpected happens on the outside, and something beautiful--and if I'm still enough to remember it familiar--happens in my heart. A comfort, a freedom, an opening.

A Prayer for When We Feel Stuck
Dear God of possibility, God of presence, God of joy,
Thank you for this chance to be alive. To inhabit this body and this life. God, you know how we walk through the mud, you know that terrible voice in our heads that holds us back, you know our fear of failure, you know our hesitation. God help us to be gentle with that part of us. To acknowledge it. And to step into freedom from it. God of open spaces, God of wind, God of hope, God of freedom and movement and dance and laughter and music and joy. May we step into our freedom, may we step into spaces where we can remember our connection with you, our sense of belonging in our lives, our sense of freedom and possibility. God, may we remember how you are walking with us, guiding us through the barriers, opening the doors, inviting us into more freedom and joy than we thought possible. Amen.

"Open to Freedom" 36" x 36" (c) Bronwen Mayer Henry (Acrylic on Canvas) [Available for Sale-Contact artist for details]

Finding Courage

The other day I put on mascara and thought "This is an act of faith. An act of courage." The chances it would stay put and not be washed away by tears were slim. And yet I carried on. Carrying on. That is what we do. This poem (below) came to me recently in the morning hours. Honoring the courageous people in my life. Some navigating the loss of a loved one. One saying goodbye to a pregnancy. One facing the end of their life. And so many others paths. I hold hope for each of us, for courage to hold on, to carry on, and to let go as needed.

This painting is a small act of courage. A return to the daily rhythms and life after a devastating loss. Even the simple movements of the brush were grounding for me. The willingness to show up to offer an ounce of beauty in a world filled with suffering. Be gentle with your courageous self. And keep going.

*****

"Everything Feels Courageous to Me" 
Poem by Bronwen Mayer Henry

Everything feels courageous to me.

It is courageous to live.
it is courageous to die.

It is courageous to give love.
It is courageous to accept love.

It is courageous to say goodbye.
It is courageous to keep going when you didn't get a chance to say goodbye.

It is courageous to show our joy.
It is courageous to show our pain.

Everything feels courageous to me.

It is courageous to plant a garden and think you'll see it bloom.
it is courageous to buy green bananas. (An octogenarian once said that to me.)

It is courageous to invest in a dream.
it is courageous to sell. To let that dream go.

It is courageous to get pregnant.
it is courageous to accept a lost pregnancy.

It is courageous to walk a new path.
It is courageous to walk an old path again.

Everything feels courageous to me.

It is courageous to speak up.
It is courageous to keep quiet.

It is courageous to dance, run, move.
it is courageous to be still.

it is courageous to get medical interventions.
It is courageous to remove medical interventions.

It is courageous to breathe in.
it is courageous to breathe out.

Everything feels courageous to me.

*****
“Courage is only possible in community. When you find yourself afraid and you don’t know if you can survive it: Close your eyes and breathe and remember the one who loves you. Love will make you brave.” Valarie Kaur

Painting: "Love Makes You Brave" 48" w x 36" h (Acrylic on Canvas) (c) Bronwen Mayer Henry (SOLD)

The Story of a Gingko Commission

Gingko Reflections
There is a deep longing in each of us for our love to continue. A longing that our love might be felt beyond the constraints of distance physical or otherwise.

Life is complicated. The gingko is a reminder of the unity opposites. Gingkoes are bearers of hope and symbols of love and longevity.

As I created this painting I held the practical request for a fall gingko tree, with the suggested idea that one leaf look like a butterfly (a shout out to the thyroid). And I held in my heart prayers for courage to embrace change, to step into new beginnings with a sense of hope and possibility. I held space for being gentle with sorrow and heartache.

As this painting arrived each leaf was filled with movement, each leaf reminding me of a butterfly. There wasn't one leaf that was going to look like a butterfly, but a sense that each leaf could take flight. Each one holding energy and movement and possibility. I found myself reflecting on the winter Gingko, when the leaves have fallen. This swarm of butterflies taking flight. And yet there is something about a butterfly that never departs.

And instead of focusing on loss. I found myself focusing on transformation. The butterfly is the ultimate reminder of transformation.

It is the same with the leaves falling. They aren't leaving. They are transformed, nurturing the root of the tree.

I see this whole tree holding space for transformation. For new beginnings. For hope in the darkest of times. There is a sense of the rootedness, the foundation, the "I'll always be with you" (the eternal love) in the trunk. So strong and stable and steady. And the leaves are alive and dancing and moving and beautiful.

It is the same with our love. Though physical distance may grow our love isn't lost, it takes flight.

***

Creating these gingko trees was a total honor. 15 people got together to give this painting as a gift to their friend going through a health crisis and a move. The recipient is a fellow thyroid cancer warrior that I haven't met personally, yet through the creation of this piece I have gotten to know her and care for her deeply.

Though I do not long for anyone to face health challenges, this opportunity to get to be part of offering care, comfort, joy and breath is such a massive honor. This is exactly at the heart of what I want to be doing with my life. I'm so grateful.

****

"Love Transformed" 38"w x 28" h (Acrylic on Canvas) (c) Bronwen Mayer Henry SOLD

Prints and products available: https://society6.com/product/love-transformed_print…

SOLO SHOW at BEWell Bakery and Cafe in Huntingdon Valley, PA

I currently have 12 pieces on display at BeWell Bakery and Cafe in Huntingdon Valley. This is a precious coffee shop. Stop by for lunch, dinner, or a sweet treat. I had my first show ever at BeWell and I appreciate how they continue to welcome me and help share my art.

(BeWell Bakery and Cafe | 2651 Huntingdon Pike, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 | www.bewellbakery.com)

Taking My Distress to the Canvas

I began this canvas irritated. I don't know why. I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe my fear, anger, or distress about the election. Maybe not getting enough sleep. Maybe some frustrations at the work place. Maybe feeling disconnected in key relationships. Whatever was the cause, I wasn't in an inspired place. And I thought, this is it, this is the moment to practice what I preach, to show up at the canvas anyway. To see what can happen at the canvas. I've articulated my confidence and transformation at the canvas for my heartache and sorrow. Can the canvas handle my anger? Hopefully I don't ruin this canvas with anger and pain, but show up anyway, not ready, not centered, not joyful. 

Day One
The first day working at the canvas. Not much happened, no big insight or transformation on the inside. I carried on. Painting. With this sense of agitation and irritability. Finished painting for the day. No clear insights. No uplifting feeling.

Day Two
On my morning walk before I returned to the canvas I thought, maybe the lesson is just showing up. Maybe it is just the loyalty, the devotion, the commitment to this canvas, to relationships, to this country. Maybe that is the message this canvas wants to give me.

Day Three
Then day three, I paint a bit more. Mid morning, I take a break and I'm visiting with a friend in my living room. She sees the incomplete canvas and says. "It is moving." I look at it again. Yes it is.

It is moving. Maybe there is something there about our unrest, our pain, our anger, our discontent that is moving. Maybe the salve is in the movement. I don't feel exactly the same way today I did when I started the canvas. There is a shift. It is subtle. It isn't a new start or a clean slate. But there is a hint of inner movement. I'm reminded that movement is the Divine. The ever changing nature of life, though it terrifies us, it also carries us. Life marches on. And with repetition and showing up repeatedly to love, there is a movement that carries whatever we feel toward that love.

Day Eight
I've been away from the canvas for a few days for the holidays. I'm feeling agitated about a conflict in a relationship. And with the canvas ahead of me this morning I'm reminded, it will change. The relationship won't always feel just like this. I continue working, trusting in this change. 

As I review the canvas, my eye catches on patches that are solitary colors. Over simplified shadows. I make sure to blend in a little more color. Life isn't simple. Even the shadows have texture and movement. So do the highlights. Moving.

Day Nine
Today I put the finishing touches on this painting. I make sure I've touched each side. I put in a few final highlights. And I'm so thankful for the lessons that arrived for me in the process.

I hold this prayer in my heart and for others. 

A Prayer for Movement
God of the river, God of the stream, God of the warm Spring breeze, God that moves within and around us, thank you. Thank you for this movement. Thank you for the passing of seasons. Thank you for the passing of anger and heartache. May we step into a river of love, may we step into a stream of providence, may we be comforted by the wind, and may we trust in the path of the seasons. May we keep showing up to our lives breathing through the difficulty, breathing through the pain, breathing through the anger, breathing in the joy as well. Trusting that we too are being moved. We are being carried. God, gently help us to open our tight grip, that we might be open to being carried. Help us let go of the need to understand or solve every moment. Help us to be courageous and show up. To use our voice. To give our best. To forgive. To try again. 

“We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy. ” ― Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart: Heartfelt Advice for Hard Times

"Come Together Again Fall Apart Again" 40" x 30" (C) Bronwen Mayer Henry [Available for purchase. Contact Artist for details.]

Solo Show at Elcy's Cafe in Glenside

I am so proud to have my pieces up at Elcy's Cafe in Glenside. What a great local business. Please come check it out. Now through end of November! (www.elcys.com)

The Dream Component of Patience

This summer has been about patience. Not just the don't shout at your child kind of patience (though that has been needed). But more so the don't let go of your dream component of patience. I set out at the beginning of the summer with my emphasis (creatively) on collecting inspiration. And the summer has been full of inspiration. I knowingly engaged this summer with less time for my creative outlets and more focus on the littles in my life. I was able to do a few commissions (I'm so grateful). And here, at the end of summer I got to follow a creative path of my choosing.

I hesitated for a moment in beginning this piece. Wondering which inspiration I should pursue. During the school year, I was able to keep closer pace with my inspiration creating nearly a piece a week. But now I had poppies, blueberries, waterlilies, hydrangeas, succulents all calling my name at once. I decided to go with my most recent in time inspiration. Succulents.

At first I felt a little reservation if I could do it. This is perhaps one of the more complicated paintings I've attempted. And yet. I knew from my hydrangea work: one petal at a time. My gardenia work: trust the process. You don't have to know the whole picture (Isn't it nice how lessons in life build.) I told a dear friend: "This piece will either be a disaster or something special."

You see. Succulents are all about patience. They hold extra water in dry climates. And the invitation I hear whispered from this canvas is to hold on. To gather the inspiration through droughts of expression. Through seasons of overwhelm. To know that patience can be beautiful and life sustaining.

So for today, my hope and prayer for each of us is that we might breathe into what is unfolding in our life right now. That we might breathe in patience. That we might remember the beauty of a breathe, a moment, a day. That we trust the process and trust our lives will unfold at just the right pace. That we hold onto inspiration even when it can't take form. And if we can find that ability to see the exquisite beauty right here in this moment. We will have found a living picture of patience.

"Why should I be unhappy? Every parcel of my being is in full bloom." Rumi

"Every Parcel" 48' x 48" (c) Bronwen Mayer Henry (Acrylic on Canvas) (Available for Purchase, Contact Artist for Details.)

Trust the Process

Trust the Process.

Today I've been working on a painting I love. It has been a challenge. And fulfilling. I also knew it wasn't quite right according to the buyers requests. She came by today to see it and give some feedback. What amazed me was that in this traditionally vulnerable spot (presenting work. receiving feedback.) I felt at ease. I have enough experience behind me to know that when a painting isn't quite there, it means you are on the shores of a breakthrough. It means when you finish it you will love it even more. It means that there is something there you haven't discovered yet. It means that the parts that bother you, will be transformed into some of your favorite parts of the painting. It means this version will provide a depth and richness that wouldn't be possible without it. Nothing is lost. All will be used.

I am so thankful for this experience of painting and I know that slowly, very slowly, these lessons that I'm learning at the canvas, are traveling into the rest of my life as well.

Imagine what it would feel like to know that the parts of your life right now that don't feel quite right are part of a beautiful layering? What if I had the joyful confidence that any unrest or discontent was only a sign that life was going to get even better?

What if I smiled with the process in anticipation of the unfolding?

*** "Together" 48" x 48" (Acrylic on Canvas) ****

Giving Liberates

"Giving Liberates" (triptych) 7.21.16 | "14" x 40", 18" x 40", 14" x 40" (Acrylic on Canvas).

This painting of aspens is a custom commissioned piece, painted with a prayer of gratitude for generosity, courageous bold limitless giving. Honoring the generosity of another and holding space and hope that we might each step into more abundance open generous living. Like the light dancing through the trees, a generous heart, open home, welcoming arms can bring great beauty, hope, joy. There is something to the amount of leaves, dancing together, reminding us of movement, of healing, of a future. There are shadows, but they do not dominate. How can we remember to open to light, to open to others, to open our hearts?"It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into the giving." Mother Teresa

"The heart that gives, gathers." Tao Te Ching

"For it is in giving that we receive." Francis of Assisi

"I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver." Maya Angelou

A Prayer of Gratitude.

Dear God, Creator, Source of Light and Love, Abundant Joy and Hope, 

Thank you for each person you've created and the brightness present in them. Thank you for open hearts. Thank you for courage. Thank you for bold brave abundant souls. Teach us also to open our hearts, homes, lives to others. Give us courage and compassion, wisdom and grace to give back the many blessings we feel from you. Amen.

Protector &Protected

What if you knew there was a loving presence looking after you right now? What if you felt safe and protected? What if you moved from thinking there was a loving Divine being to feeling that loving Divine being's presence?

It was just over three years ago now that I learned this lesson in a deep way. I remember lying in a hospital bed post operation. I was in a great deal of pain. But more than my physical distress my mind was overcome with anxiety and fear. What had happened? Would everything be okay? Why did I feel so distressed? I remembered my mind racing through a pattern of thoughts. Why don't I pull it together? There are other people suffering more. I thought surely there was some idea, some phrase, something I could think or do that would relieve me of my inner turmoil. I wrestled with this into the darkest hours of the night. A dear friend sat with me. Holding my hand. And yet I couldn't find ease. I couldn't rest. I couldn't exhale.

And then a gentle quiet comforting message came to me. That there wasn't any idea or thought that I needed. What I needed was love. Not even the words around love, but the experience of love. What I needed was to breathe into this very moment being held with love. And I did. And it changed me.

"The finger that points to the moon is not the moon."

*********

Working on these paintings, I have felt my heart singing. I created these two paintings with a prayer on my heart to remember that I am being held in love. I created depth of texture. In one painting emphasizing the baby. In the other the mother. I meditated on a benevolent loving force holding and protecting me in my life. I meditated on my longing to protect others, the parts of me that are nurturing and protective with great strength. Knowing how elephants are threatened in the wild I felt their vulnerability and strength. And the vulnerability and strength required of each of us to offer love and protection and to open to receive that love and protection.

***
Protector/Protected
(poem by Bronwen Henry)
She did not need answers. 
She only needed to curl up
in a loving embrace. 
To remember
love had been there the whole time. 
Holding her.

In protecting another
she recognized her vulnerability. 
And she knew
that vulnerability was the only path.
Love was safe in her and around her. 
While she held another, 
she found herself to be held as well.

******

"Protected"
30" x 48" (Acrylic on Canvas)

"Protector" 
30" x 48" (Acrylic on Canvas)

Light_and_Dark

Sometimes in life we are encouraged to count our blessings, to be grateful. This can be a useful practice, but when we do this to the exclusion of acknowledging the struggles in our life it can feel inauthentic.

Sometimes we find ourselves totally focused on the shadows and struggles of life. When we do this without acknowledging the blessings, the birds singing, the rhododendron about to burst into bloom, life can be overwhelming even debilitating.

There is scripture at the beginning of the Gospel of John that speaks to this for me. It says; "In God was life, and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

It does not say that darkness ceases to exist. It says that darkness does not overcome the light. This is a scripture that I have returned to when my faith becomes threadbare from the struggles and suffering in the world.

The truth of this scripture comes to me as I paint. To hold the light and darkness together. The blessings and the struggles. And. Both. Life. And the invitation to wrap it all in love.

****
I had the honor to share these paintings and some of my story at Gloria Dei Church over the weekend. It was a blessing and joy. I love sharing my art and inspiration, and I'm open to future opportunities as well.

Earth_Bread_and_Brewery_SHOW_May_and_June

Im so happy to have my work up at my favorite restaurant. Come check outEarth Bread + Brewery in Mt.Airy_May and June to see my work and enjoy awesome beer and food.

Paintings_on_Display_at_Bryn_Athyn_College_Chapel

I'm getting ready to give a talk this Friday at Bryn Athyn College Chapel at 10:40am. If you want to hear some of my story and current reflections on creativity and compassion come on out.

Here_is_my_painting_'Sacred_Imperative'_on_display_at_Bryn_Athyn_College's_Chapel.

Reflections on Creativity on the WHY Blog podcast

It was so fun to be part of this podcast. Luke Frazier does a great job with it. I talk in this session especially about why I paint (not sure exactly), how I make time to paint, and ideas for other people looking to make time for creativity.

http://thewhyblog.com/2016/03/09/what-brings-us-alive-with-bronwen-henry/

How Do You Tackle a Commission? Four Strategies That Have Helped Me

4 strategies that have helped me to create commissions with joy

This weekend I'm beginning my 30th commission, and I wanted to share some of my process of creating commissions on a practical level. It is my impression that many artists avoid commissions, preferring to create from their own inspiration. I totally get that and honor that. For me, I find tremendous joy in the commission process and wanted to share some of my approaches.

1. Changing the Focus from Performance to Prayer

If you follow my work, you've probably heard me talk about the heart of my work is around meditation and prayer. Opening to joy and also holding suffering. When I work on a commission I always ask people what I can hold in prayer for them and it is an HONOR. 

Because of this caring/ prayer focus I simply adore doing commissions. I love building a bit more of  a relationship with someone I don't know as well. I adore the connection and conversation. I find the 'assignment' to be a challenge, that leads me to a more creative approach and problem solving. Holding the client in my prayers is heart warming and helps me work with courage and compassion.

2. Know your No
I have turned down commission opportunities that are themes I am not currently into painting (ex. My son's desire for me to paint darth maul, or a friends request for a flock of birds). I have also turned down commissions that are small sizes. Part of the joy for me is in working BIG so I have a minimum size requirement. And I point people to other amazing local artists who find joy in working on the canvas size that fits for them.

Sketches for a Sycamore Commission, Four Paintings Will Be Developed.

3. Creating Options
One strategy I've developed in the last year is to create a series of paintings. On one hand I find the creation of a single painting does not allow me enough time to thoroughly enjoy the subject matter.  Working on a few canvases at once gives me a chance to dive in deeper (and if color palettes are overlapping it conserves paint!)

On a practical level working on a series gives me the freedom I need. Let's say for example someone has requested a tree with yellow leaves, but for whatever reason my heart is itching to do red, green, blue leaves etc. I can follow my creative impulse on one of the other canvases, while respecting/honoring their desire for yellow leaves on THEIR canvas. In doing this I don't feel boxed in or limited.

Sometimes I will find that a few in the series fit the requests of the client, and then I can give them a few choices of which canvas speaks to them the most.

4. Freedom
I ALWAYS convey to the client before I show them the piece that they are free to buy it or not. Even though I created it for them. I am always true to myself when painting. I make sure the painting makes MY heart sing. And I lean into confidence that each painting will find a home and I don't have to force it even if I developed it for them. By doing this I also provide myself a measure of assurance that one isn't buying it out of obligation but out of joy. 

I find I continue to evolve my process with time and experience.  And I know I still have a lot to learn. What is your approach to a commission? I hope these ideas are helpful.

Heart Open | Reflections on Painting Hydrangeas

While I waited to hear her prayer request I prepared the canvases, picked up some blue hydrangeas from the local florist, and researched the symbolism of hydrangeas. One of the symbols that came up and caught my attention was love with understanding. Not a superficial love, but a deep knowing love.

Then my client sent me this prayer request:“In my family, we talk about ways we can open our hearts and move our fence to include and love others, move our fence to give up grudges, and move our fence to not judge others. My children love telling us the ways they have moved their fences! A prayer along that theme of opening our hearts to love others would be perfect!"

What a moving prayer. Then she shared this story with me: 

It is said that during the Second World War some soldiers serving in France wanted to bury a friend and fellow soldier who had been killed. Being in a foreign country they wanted to ensure their fallen comrade had a proper burial. They found a well-kept cemetery with a low stone wall around it. It was a picturesque little Catholic church with a peaceful quality. This was just the place to bury their friend. But when they approached the priest he answered that unless their friend was a baptized Catholic he could not be buried in the cemetery. He wasn’t.Sensing the soldiers’ disappointment the priest showed them a spot outside the walls where they could bury their friend. Reluctantly, they did so.The next day the soldiers returned to pay their final respects to their fallen friend but could not find the grave. “Surely we can’t be mistaken. It was right here!” they said. Confused, they approached the priest who took them to a spot inside the cemetery walls. “Last night I couldn’t sleep,” said the priest. “I was troubled that your friend had to be buried outside the cemetery walls, so I got up and moved the fence.”

It has been an honor to hold this story as I paint. As I discover and paint each each opened hydrangea petal, I think of how to open my own heart to more love and acceptance. To let go of judgment and prejudice. An insight I’ve gained through painting the hydrangeas with this prayer and this story is that opening to acceptance, creating space for the ‘other,' or moving the fence is not a one time effort, but a lifetime of small gestures. The hydrangea is gorgeous because of its many small blooms. Each one is opening to something beautiful! 

"When people draw a small circle that excludes me or my friends, I try to draw a bigger circle that includes them." Brian McLaren

How beautiful would the world be if we could all draw bigger circles, move fences, recognize that the one we saw as 'other' was actually part of the ‘us’ that inhabits this earth?

I've named this series Heart Open as a prayer and reminder to do just that.
"Heart Open I, II, III 36" x 108" (c) Bronwen Mayer Henry (Acrylic on Canvas)

"Compassionate action, compassionate speech is not a one shot deal; it's a lifetime journey.” Pema Chödrön

"Helping yourself or someone else has to do with opening and just being there; that's how something happens between people. But it is a continuous process. That's how you learn. You can't just open once." Pema Chödrön

Creating Refuge | Reflections on This Painting

The past few days have been challenging for me. I've been grieving paths I didn't take, paths I couldn't take. I've been feeling frustration at stuck systems. Yet each morning I have the peaceful mercy of painting. And all the while working away on this painting/commission has been a reprieve and refuge from my worries and regrets. I received such a beautiful prayer request with this painting; "Toremember that nothing is wrong with this present moment. That I am safe and resourced, whole and expansive, connected. That you and all beings would feel safe, whole and connected." I urge you to spend one breath, one moment, one hour, one day reflecting on 'Nothing is wrong with this present moment.' and see how your life is transformed before you. To see that the path that is unfolding before you is in fact more beautiful than you could have imagined.

"Creating Refuge" 60" x 36" (Acrylic on Canvas)

Stepping Into Your Joy is Important

When you discover something that makes your heart soar, that makes time fly, that makes you feel at peace with the world, that gives you courage and grace and hope and trust. By all means do that thing. Make it a priority like you do drinking water. Let it restore your soul. This is no trivial matter. This may be the heart of the salvation of the world. For salvation is salve, healing. When we step into our joy we are healed. When we step into our joy we spread joy. Ever so briefly touch on some of the atrocities that have been done in the world, consider the people behind them. Were these people happy? Were they stepping into their bliss? Did they know that they were cared for and they were allowed to feel joy?

"Healthy, happy people do not start wars." Eva Kor, Holocaust Survivor.