Although I may not have inherited all of my aunt's noble traits, she was an artist, untrained but passionate, and her focus was on lettering.
I had never heard the word calligraphy as a child, but I loved her "fancy writing." I remember studying this piece for long bits of time when I was 4 or 5 years old and marveling at its beauty. It now hangs in my studio.
My aunt was not, by today's standards, a very good calligrapher . . . but her work pushed me to be the artist I am. So here's to my Aunt Alice (Sister Maria Fidelis) who died in her late 90's many years ago.
What was her most profound message to me? That you do not have to be a great artist to be great. And that you do not have to be a great artist to inspire others to want to create art . . . to inspire in someone the idea that they can create art.
Who will come across one of your Zentangle tiles and become inspired to do great things?
Thank you so much for all your comments on yesterday's blog. (I had a wonderful day!)
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10 comments:
I'm glad your day was a happy birthday! You give so much to all of us. I love the story about your aunt and I think her calligraphy is beautiful...by any standards!! She obviously had a beautiful spirit which lives on in you. Thank you for sharing once again.
Thank youMaria, for the inspiration you provide for so many and for continuing the lovely story from yesterday's post. Love the hearts in today's creation.
The piece of artwork by your Aunt is beautiful and it is so nice to have something from the past that brings on happy memories and has inspired you to do so much. You in turn are passing this wonderful idea, that we can all be creative, on to others. Thank you
GinaA
You have inspired me that I can create art and I am deeply grateful. What a sense of confidence I now have that "I do not have to be a great artist to inspire others to want to create art" ~ tapping into this inner power, I now have a freedom that has no limits to what I can achieve. Mahalo (thank you).
So glad you had a fun birthday, Maria. Today is my 8 year old grandson's birthday. :-) Your aunt's lettering is really quite beautiful and I absolutely love what you wrote when you said that you don't have to be a great artist to inspire others to make art. It's so true. Sometimes I think making art is contagious (once someone sees you doing it they want to give it a try) and I definitely know it's addictive. LOL You've gotten me addicted to Zentangles this summer and I haven't seen the top of my dining room table through all tangling tools since! LOL And, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, because I'm having so much fun. :-)
I agree with Judi: art is contagious! I love that you still have the "string" of inspiration in the form of Aunt Alice's fancy letters:) The string of that piece has travelled far, as all of us well know! Thank you for paying attention to that string, tangling in it, and then extending the string to all of us, and beyond!
Our life has been so enhanced with all of you in it. Just knowing you guys are out there is wonderful.
"Home is not where you hang your hat....home is where you are understood."
I don't remember who said that....but I like it!
Thanks everyone for your good wishes, for my birthday. M
What a precious post Maria!!!! I can see how the piece would influence you. What a blessing that in turn, you have influenced so many of us and inspired us with your artwork. And....there is no end in sight to that influence.
Xo,
Heather
What a beautifyl memory, and thank you for sharing. (That was a mis-type, but I decided to keep it.) I suppose we can all thank your Aunt for what we share. If it hadn't been her influence on you, we might not have become the community we are. She lives on in you, and in all of us. Thank you.
the butterfly effect??
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