New series & new beginnings

For the first two months of the year I was snowed in with work and didn’t have much time to play with flowers, nor blog. I did however create a self-portrait, the first of a series inspired by the seasons and the Wheel of the Year.

The Celts celebrated the beginning of spring on the first day of February, at Imbolc, and since the seasons and seasonal cycles are a great source of inspiration for my work, it made sense to start this new series, and new creative path, with a celebration marking new beginnings.

I had the idea for the series while meditating, which proves the point that to hear your own voice, you need to be still and clear the noise, physical and virtual ;)

This series is pushing me way out of my comfort zone – I’m much more comfortable behind a camera that in front of it – and being a middle age woman doesn’t help my self-confidence, as our society is so focused on celebrating youth and beauty, for women especially.

The thought of hiring a model for this series did cross my mind, but then I decided against it for several reasons.

First of all, these self portraits are not about me – they’re not just a selfie, they’re actually all about creativity, celebrating the seasons, our inner beauty, and the divine feminine that’s within all women.

I also want to be part of a different narrative about age, beauty, and women, a narrative where beauty isn’t only skin deep, and womanhood is celebrated at all stages, including middle and old age.

I might not be as pretty and svelte as I was in my 20s or 30s, but with time I haven’t gained only lines, under-eye bags, and some extra weight around the midriff, but also self-awareness, knowledge, creative skills, and more acceptance, kindness, and compassion towards others and myself.

So I’m making it a point to be the model for this series, in the hope that my perfectly imperfect body serves as an example for the young generations, and encourages other women to see and celebrate their own perfectly imperfect beauty.

I chose not to have children, so my art, my work, and this message are all part of my legacy, and I hope that it reaches and inspires many.

Making the floral crown, dressing up, and putting some make up on was much fun, although I managed to spill the silver eco glitter all over the house…cleaning it up was not so much fun, but the mess was a preview of what’s to come…

In a few weeks I’ll be moving to France with my husband and the kitties, and at the moment I’m swamped in boxes and packing material.
The house will soon look like a higgledy piggledy mess of boxes and furniture, more like a storage unit than a home, but that’s just part of the logistics of moving, and after so many moves I’m very familiar with what’s coming – it’s a price we gladly pay for new beginnings.

After Italy, Ireland, and Great Britain, we’ll soon be living in a rural area north of Limoges. The countryside there is beautiful, and the pace of life very slow – exactly what my husband and I are looking for.
I’m both excited about our new adventure, worried about the actual move, and sad about the wonderful friends we’ll be leaving behind…thank goodness for Skype!

In the next few days I’ll create a new seasonal portrait for the spring equinox, and then it’ll be time to forget about flowers for a few weeks, and pack all my props and photography equipment…all but my beloved camera of course, which is travelling with us.

I’ll keep you posted about the move, and will let you know about life in our new home :)