Paintings - tribute to Donna Williams

Yesterday I was painting a lot, praying and thinking as I heard about the death of someone whom I never met in person, but was inspired by her videos and books.... Donna Williams. 

https://blog.donnawilliams.net/2017/04/30/vale-polly-samuel-aka-donna-williams-1963-2017/

Over the past months I followed Donna's Facebook page and her posts about her cancer. 

Here are paintings I painted yesterday as Thank you for Donna's life and her inspration

and my Good Bye to her.

 

10th April 2016 Spring Memorial Service at St Paul's

I was encouraged through memorial service...

 I remembered my Dad and Pete's Dad and few other people....

It will be soon 2 years since my Dad suddenly died from heart attack 

at home at CZech Republic

http://exploring-creative-worship.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/remembering-my-father-john-6-35.html

And here is my prayer and sermon notes from St Paul's memorial sevice

A Sense of Place 1

I just heard about an exhibition with theme "A Sense of Place"

And the theme really inspires me

I started paint today

A Sense of Place

For me right now is to live each day fully

Step by step

And each step seems to be tiny...

So I will paint in small steps too...

Here is my painting today

A Sense of Place 1

Just questions....

Sometimes there are just too many questions.... Painting today while just not understanding... But trusting that there is a way forward...

Refined hope

Refined hope

Journey continues

And the journey continues... Today few pictures came to me through painting....

New journey

This is a new journey for me... 

I have been ill for very very long time... But only few weeks ago I have found out what was wrong with me ... On 4th August I was diagnosed with Addison's Disease .

So now, there is really lots to process for me... 
Every day is a special gift... If doctor at hospital abroad during my holiday didn't find out and didn't start treatment... I would not have been here now...

So here are my paintings from the last few weeks... i often read Psalms, painted them and listened to songs from  Oboroh again...

Memories - bereavement ...

Very recently, a family friend,someone from parish church, back in my home country, died from brain tumour. He was still young man, full of life, but been struggling with tumour for 8 years... He supported my family through difficult time, my Mum when my Dad died a year ago unexpectadly from heart attack. He was a friend to my younger brother and together with him regularly travelling to elders meeting to church. We all knew this man had beenvery ill but hoped he would overcome the illness. He lived his life fully...he died and I missed words. I tried to find some clumsy words to express condolences to his own older brother, who is same age as me... I felt so much pain for their family... Probably even more as I went through several bereavements in last few months, including supporting friend few days before her little boy died in hospital.... I missed the words, i was not able to attend funeral of family friend abroad and I did not get invited to funeral of my friends child as she prefered be with her close family and her own community. I respected that all... and I even more appreciate that back in January family invited me to funeral of someone whom I supported at work...seeing that persons face in coffin, seeing how peaceful and happy he looked, with no pain, was very freeing and very uplifting experince...of course I cried, of course I was very sad. I hugged his Mum and his sisters, whom all I knew very well...we felt so connected, united in pain and reconciled in a way...I knew I was to them unbeliever from different culture and religion, but we all stood there, united in bereavement, by this man's coffin... 

That powerful experience comes back now, together with memories of saying Bye to my Dad and kissing his face in coffin last year, that all comes back now with every new bereavement... We live and die... We live our lives through many amazing experiences, both the joy and the pain, weaving all those in a beautiful mosaic of our human lives... 

Living life with its fullness... Here and now... Being thankful for precious gift of life. So with tears in my eyes I painted the paintings ... Crying for family friend who died in Czech Republic and symbolically lighting candle for him in my painting, knowing he is now free, happy and has no pain...

Remembering my Dad

Today it is one year since my Dad suddenly died from heart attack....

Easter reflections

This Easter I lived very fully and very deeply, 
In a way I lived all the time Good Friday.

I had to go to work and I used my free  time with a friend and her child in the hospital. Friend's child died on Easter Monday. I saw the little child on Easter Sunday for the last time, having only few hours time before my work shift in NHS job. So I said Bye to them at noon, and I waved to them, looking back at Mum holding on her lap little child. 
Amazing picture of mother's love. For me the image brought image of Mary and Jesus. I did not know that was the last time I saw little boy alive...

I did not do much painting, but felt blessed my watercolor original paintings Way of the Cross were placed in my parish church St Paul's Norton Lees.

I will paint some reflections, but at the meantime I would like to share photos of paintings from our church.


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https://www.flickr.com/photos/55377376@N02/sets/72157633091685538/

A journey