Ascension Series
About this Artwork...
In November of 2018, I lost a close friend who was like family to me. It was a loss that I should have been ready for… Fleta had been ill for many years and suffered through so much pain. Still, I wasn’t ready and it hit me hard. In my heart, I thought I would see her one more time but she passed quietly and began her ascension to heaven before I could say goodbye.
Death is no stranger to me. With the exception of two aunts, a few cousins, and my younger sister, most of my family members have left this earth and I believe ascended into heaven. For this reason, angels and the transformation from this life to another state of being has always fascinated me. I have spent many nights pondering what ascension truly means for us and what does it mean to be an angel? Yet, I have always believed that we are indeed surrounded by angels.
Over the years, angels would surface in my doodles or sketches, but I had never really explored creating a body of artwork that focused on them. Last fall, I had just started to experiment with liquid acrylics and ink. One night in deep thought and reflection, I created Ascension (Fleta’s Freedom). I wanted to celebrate her life in a way that was joyful and beautiful. The painting was fluid and captured what I hoped for Fleta- freedom from illness and pain as she moved toward peace and light.
As many of you know, you cannot grieve one person’s death without reflecting on others you have lost. So I kept painting with every memory and thought of loved ones who have been gone for many years. The paintings brought me healing in a new way and I experimented with different techniques which in turn, changed the look of the images and improved my painting skills.
The fluid forms evolved into images that look more like traditional images of angels. My series also includes several crow paintings that represent my own guardian angel- my father. No matter what I am going through or where I might be, a crow surfaces to remind me that I am never alone in this journey on earth. I was very close to my Dad and his sudden passing at age 56 definitely tested my faith. Although he has ascended to heaven, he has never left my side.
There are twenty-three Ascension paintings included in this body of work. The Angel Series artworks are the expression and evolution of my understanding of ascension, grief, and remembrance. I am not sure if I will continue the series as time passes, but I know that my work will continue to evolve as I experience life. While many of the paintings are raw with emotion and are not polished work, I have decide to share my entire journey with you as an artist and spiritual person. I am so grateful to be able to share this body of work with you and hope it will move you in unexpected ways.