artycelia.com

   The American realist painter, Edward Hopper died over half a century ago, he lived in a different era and yet his art resonates beautifully to the strange times we are all living through. His lonely vision of interwar and post war America has been 'liked' and 'shared' thousands of times by Twitter and Instagram users. His psychological paintings, created between the 1920's and 1950's, embody the artist's view that "a nation's art is greatest when it most reflects the character of its people."                                                            Hotel Window. 1955                                                       There certainly seems to be a 'stillness' that has descended here in the London suburb where I live. The sun is shining, (thank goodness, for small mercies) and there is a feeling of eerie calm. The streets are empty except for other dog walkers, like me, and we respectfully give each other maximum distance. There i

  Having been brought up in the sixties and seventies I think the hippie outlook on life served me well. I can still make great Daisy Chains, Pom Poms and Cats' Cradles. I was always encouraged to read and constantly had my nose in a book. Enid Blyton taught me not to be afraid of spiders with her stories of Aaron the spider who was really a prince. I have infuriated my daughters over the years by my insistence that that huge hairy eight-legged specimen in the bath was a prince trapped in a spider's body. They learned from an early age how to use a pint glass and a piece of card to let the arachnid out of the window. Same with bees and wasps,' Buzz, buzz, buzz busy bee, busy bee, buzz if you like but don't sting me.' (I made that one up) Walking around the park would have me singing 'There once was an ugly duckling....' although I certainly didn't read that book to my own children repeatedly, like my mum did to me (I still bear a grudge) As a child I pla

 

2021 was an especially shitty year, although it looks like it will be surpassed. In the January, the day Biden was inaugurated, though that has nothing to do with it, I had to say goodbye to my best friend, my buddy, my darling, Billy. Any dog lover will feel my pain, so I won't go on about it, except to say that I am in tears writing this and my heart hurts.  I don't want another dog, I have developed a morbid habit of looking at all dogs and their owners while silently thinking, 'oh no, it's going to happen to you one day. That utter dismantling of your heart and soul. The wretchedness of a lost love, a warm body ripped from your concave tummy where once there was a beating heart.' Miserable, I know, sorry about that. It gets worse though. My daughter, on the day that Billy died, announced that she was pregnant. This was supposed to 'lift the mood.' It did for about thirty seconds, but I was too distraught to really take it in. Her pregnancy wasn't gre

                                                                                                          (Copyright. Celia Turner)  I painted these sunflowers a few years ago onto a special edition of The Times. The painting seems horribly poignant now. The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine. The beautiful sunflower takes her name from Clytie, a water nymph who turns into a sunflower after grieving the loss of her beloved Apollo. The mythological symbolism is that Clytie (in her form as a sunflower) is always facing the sun looking for Apollo's chariot to return that they might rekindle their love. The sunflower grows tall and moves to face the life -giving rays of the sun and is often used as the symbol of spiritual faith and worship.

Root Chakra: I am Colour: Red. I am safe. I feel grounded. I feel connected to Mother Earth. My roots are deep and strong. I believe in myself. I am brave. I am strong. Sacral Chakra: (Splenic) I feel. Colour; Orange. Affirmations: I am a creative soul. I easily find creative solutions for all the challenges. I honour and accept my sexuality. I feel excited and passionate about the things I do. Solar Plexus Chakra: I do. Affirmations: I am a confident being. I have strong willpower. I believe in myself. I trust my abilities. Heart Chakra: I love. Affirmations: I am a being of love and light. I can forgive myself and others. I am kind to myself. I am kind to people. I am kind to material things and creatures of Mother Nature. Throat Chakra: I speak. Affirmations: I am an honest person. I can convey my feelings. My ideas matter. My opinion matters. I can listen and honour the opinion of others. Third-eye Chakra: I see. Affirmations: I am a wise being. I have an innate ability to look bey