Friday, July 12, 2013

Feathers

Sharing a sweet little bird today, "painted" in Inkist and inspired by lines from a poem by Marjorie Allen Seiffert. I worked intuitively, making layers of marks and letting the image emerge on its own.


A bird is three things:
Feathers, flight and song,
And feathers are the least of these.
Marjorie Allen Seiffert*, “The Shining Bird”

I adore the sentiment of these lines.  As lovely as birds are, their beautiful appearance is not their greatest quality.  It's the same for us.  Our physical beauty is subjective and fleeting.  We are, each of us, so much more than what people see on the outside.

What is truly beautiful in you and me is eternal.  We radiate beauty when we fulfill our purpose...loving God and loving others with all our heart.

I always said I would grow old gracefully but when gray hairs first appeared on my head I admit I panicked just a bit.  I even covered them up for a while but I eventually got over it.  Now I'm quite happy with my gray "feathers".  They are like a declaration of contentment proclaiming, "This girl is headed into the next phase of life without reserve or pretense."  I'm really so much happier when I just am who I am.  (It's a whole lot less expensive, too.)

So here's to flying high and singing our songs and radiating a deeper kind of beauty.  I hope all you gorgeous birds have a fabulous weekend!

Linking up today with:










* Marjorie Allen Seiffert was an American poet in the early 20th century.  Biographical information on her is a little hard to come by but a collection of her poems, A Woman of Thirty, may be downloaded for free from The Gutenberg Project.  I also came across this intriguing story of her involvement with a hoax feigning the existence of a literary school called Spectra.  The story is worth a read if you're interested in a little literary trivia.



16 comments:

  1. Love your birdie, I want to cuddle him....xox

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  2. beautiful bird painting and wonderful words for this post Janice!

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  3. How cute! is original presentation of this work. Saludos

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  4. loving the thoughts behind this terrific piece and also love the fab background, Happy PPF, Annette x

    http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

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  5. i love the line, 'we radiate beauty when we fulfill our purpose.' the bird is certainly a mirror for this beauty. your bird is especially beautiful.

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  6. I always enjoy your colorful work!! This bird is beautiful! I admire your ability to let the gray stay!! I'm afraid I still can't do it. I was a hair dye virgin until gray appeared!! Three years from sixty I doubt I ever will relinquish to it...my mom was a hairdresser and she never did either!! I do my own and my daughters a couponer so that usually means very inexpensive or free for me!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  7. Beautiful! Love the lines and colors, so lively! <3

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  8. I love the colors of this bird, so beautiful! And such kind words :) smiles for you.

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  9. Such a lovely worded post. Your shining bird is beautiful and a real testament to what is eternal:)

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  10. Gorgeous bird!
    Happy PPF, have a great weekend.
    xx

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  11. I stopped by (a bit late, I might add) after the sweet comment you left on my blog on Monday. I don't have a cell phone, so I'm intrigued by this app. You did a marvelous job with it, and the one you showed before this post. You have some serious color and composition skills. You make great art, regardless the medium.

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  12. Sweeeeet bird!! Such a joyful rendition! Janice, you find the BEST quotes (I know I've already said that... but, I love them. Hope you'll keep 'em coming.) blessings ~ tanna

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  13. Beautiful bird, so bright and cheerful! HPPF!

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  14. Very cute. That one eye has a lot of expression.
    Nicole/Beadwright

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  15. We rescued an Inca Dove from a fallen tree many years ago. His name was Feathers, so named because he had none. Love your bird!

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  16. The colors in this are so joyful, and I love the quote!

    Happy PPF!

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Your lovely comments make my day!

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