This past year has been very bittersweet....and this past month has really brought up feeling of loss and sadness for me.
Last February, my dear friend and partner in the Creative Arts Studio, Patricia Waters, passed on...to...from, into another form. The first 6 months or more of 2012, were an ongoing process of dealing with her life.
It is amazing how much it takes to unravel a life deeply lived through her possessions, and her wonderful amazing art. This is one of her powerful pastel drawings. Patricia's death was an amazingly deep loss for me and only recently has it gotten less difficult.
However, right after Thanksgiving, my sweet dear little spirit dog, Chelsea had to be put down.
Here she is outside a Mandala workshop that Patricia and I facilitated at Mountain Home Ranch in Calistoga.
Chelsea often went along to all of our workshops, sitting in circle with all the participants holding sacred dog compassion for everyone.
So Chelsea's death has made me revisit all the losses of the year and it has been a very difficult time for me. One loss, truely reminds us of all of them.
So on this New Years Eve day, I am honoring both of these dear friends through my writing and photos on this blog.
I find that my healing way of coping with loss, sadness and challenges is through expressing myself through art. I teach this to others, because art has been my life long salve, and coping strategy.
Here is the SoulCollage® card I made for Chelsea right after she died. I cried all the way through the process but it helped tremendously, and I have had this card on my altar for her, for the whole month now.
This is an acrylic painting I did of Chelsea about 5 years ago, that is now more precious than ever before.
So, I end the year honoring these two sweet beings, who made such a difference in my life. I don't know who reads these writings, but it is important to express my truth today.
May you all have a blessed and creatively fulfilling new year!
Namaste.
Caterina
