Category: A Life of Art Blog

"A Healing Place 2" (c) Marika Reinke

A Healing Place 2

 

"A Healing Place 2" (c) Marika Reinke
“A Healing Place 2” (c) Marika Reinke

Description

A healing place in not a simple beautiful place. It is complicated with compact meaning.  The tumult of injury, lingering pain, peace and healing. A place of innocence, a place before the world completely changed. A place to return and make sense, to pick up this life and re-puzzle it, but maybe…not… solve… it. A small hope to fit a little better. A place to relearn to love oneself as broken and complete simultaneously. A place of redefined beauty and ever-altered perspective.  

Watercolor 24″ x 18″

Story

This painting was a commission for a client who deeply loves and connects with  Arches, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks.  She deals with chronic pain with a cheerful disposition and laughter.  These parks were the last long vacation she had before she discovered the root of her long term pain, which has since not been resolved.  These red, red, walls are packed with meaning.

And in hanging this on her wall, I hope it brings her peace and my hope of some alleviated pain.

BUY HERE

Buy “A Healing Place” Here

Customized Prints Available: $70
Pack of 10 5″ x 7″ Art Cards: $35
Original: Sold.

CONTACT ME

marika@marikareinke.com

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wip - a beautiful mind

A Place for Peace of Mind

“Work-In-Progress: A Beautiful Mind” (c) Marika Reinke

Yesterday, the Seattle Schools District teachers walked out (as they should) to demand the money that was voted to be allocated to K-12 schools and has yet to appear.  Please don’t get me started on this.  I worked at a community college for long enough to understand the politics of this travesty.  Political excuses aside,  it is a travesty that the United States literally values its public education with a minimal budget, resources and outright condescension.  Our under-funded school system may be the root of the demise of this country  in the long run.

The point is that the kids were home all day.

Thankfully, we are reaching a parenting milestone and turning point.  The kids are old enough to entertain themselves especially with the neighborhood kids over.

And I could work.

I love that I have a studio but it is located in a far away corner of the house.  For all their independence, I feel better being able to hear my kids chattering, thumping and screaming.  I just can’t do that in my studio.

So I brought my laptop into the dining room and dedicated the day to getting sh*t done.  Literally, the stuff on my list I really don’t want to do – the dreggy, non-creative, linear, detail oriented shi*t.  This is what grading is to teaching.  Generally, yucky. And though many of these items have been on the list forever, I have not been able to focus on it.  My records are a mess, my mailing list is scattered everywhere, my website is not cohesive and makes no sense for e-commerce.  I have no idea what I’ve posted anywhere.

Usually, when I sit down to address this problem, I space out and forget what I’m doing.

But not yesterday.

Yesterday, I got sh*t done.  I got a lot of it done.  More than I have in a long time.  I felt so productive it was like I was back at my old job, cranking out the high volume grading and lesson plans.

And the difference?  The dining room.  Or more specifically, not being in my studio.

My studio, is my haven; my place to forget words, hear my heart, listen to pictures, lose time.  It is a place where I  don’t look at where I am, but what is inside. It is a place that lures me.  My most recent work-in-progresses whisper at me, they work at me subliminally.  When I’m still, I’m working in my studio.  When I’m staring at my database, I’m working on a painting.

The studio is not a place to get sh*t done.

A lesson well-learned.

CONTACT ME

marika@marikareinke.com

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“The Edge of the Universe Necklace” available now on Etsy.com

“The Edge of the Universe” Pendant on Etsy (c) Marika Reinke 2015

When I painted this, I based it off a picture of a galaxy I have pinned on my “Color Schemes” Pinterest board. I wanted pinks, rich purples, blues and some white blasts of light but not a literal translation of the photo. The final doesn’t look like the galaxy, it was never my intent to end there, only to start there.

As I worked on it, I added the white gouache to the wet colors and watched the white expand and speckle the painting. It was amazing. It looked almost exactly like the galaxy, but I didn’t do it, the water did it (I swear it!).

There is mystery everywhere but also order. I love chaos theory.

This necklace is a reminder that living in that mystery, accepting the chaotic order and creativity of the universe and being inspired and engaged there is a worthy life purpose.

This one has been sold.  But I’ve listed a couple others left over from my Art in the Park debut on my Etsy shop for $40 plus free shipping.  

CONTACT ME

I will collaborate with you to make a personalized custom pendant for $50.  They are a great gift with a special message. I also personally make pendants from any of my paintings for $40.   Send me a message for details.

marika@marikareinke.com

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A Healing Place (c) Marika Reinke 2015

A Healing Place

A Healing Place (c) Marika Reinke 2015
A Healing Place (c) Marika Reinke 2015

Story

Go back to the place, before pain, before the known and learned.  To time travel to that feeling and heal there, in the healing place.

Watercolor 12″ x 9″

This is a small painting I did for a client of her Healing Place.  The final version will be 24″ x 18″.

To Buy

This painting will be available to buy at Art in the Park in South Lake Union tomorrow May 7th, 2015 from 11-6.  $135 add $35 with frame.

CONTACT ME

marika@marikareinke.com

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Art in the Park Today

All set up without any broken glass. Success!

Warm and beautiful day. No rain. Success!

I'll be here from 11-6 at South Lake Union in front of MOHAI with other friendly and talented artisans.

See you soon!

 

Climbers (c) Marika Reinke 2015

Climbers

Climbers (c) Marika Reinke 2015
Climbers (c) Marika Reinke 2015

Story

How to describe the climbers’ magic? To persevere, to embrace challenge, to un-puzzle rock, to conquer fear and reach uncatchable vistas and beauty.  Adventurers who explore their inner-life landscape with earth’s stone-maps.  An ultimate union.

Watercolor 7″ x 12″

To Buy

This painting will be available to buy at Art in the Park in South Lake Union May 7th, 2015 from 11-6 with a frame.  $100

climbers in frame
climbers in frame

9′ x 12″ prints will be available. I will be able to customize the background and highlight with gold, silver and iridescent colors for $45

CONTACT ME

marika@marikareinke.com

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If Gems Speak

A big day tomorrow! 11-6 at South Lake Union! I’ve been busy today and still have a few things to knock off the list in preparation. There is so much to do my head is spinning.

By request, a preview of the stories these little gems will tell are below. They are $40 each and I do take custom orders for $55.

Night Descending (c) Marika Reinke 2015

Night Descending

Night Descending (c) Marika Reinke 2015
Night Descending (c) Marika Reinke 2015

Story

Night descends like waves; a silent, soothing blanket.  The soft wind-kiss of the world tucking in.

Watercolor 6″ x 4″

To Buy

This painting will be available to buy at Art in the Park in South Lake Union tomorrow May 7th, 2015 from 11-6 with a frame.  $65

CONTACT ME

marika@marikareinke.com

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Jewels and Metaphors

Thought slivers captured.  

watercolor 1 3/4″ x 3/4″ and 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ 

I’ll be selling these pendants (and a few more In progress) as necklaces at Art in the Park on Thursday, May 7th from 11-6 at South Lake Union Park.  

Each one tells a story that will unfold there.  

 

A Dead Plant is a Reminder

Today, I found my almost-6-year-old son on this ledge worriedly kneeling over a plant.  He turned to me and pointed at it.

“What happened?” He asked.

IMG_0413

“It’s dead. Daddy killed it.”  I said.   I’m sorry Dad. It was a flippant response.  Dad  has an amazing green thumb. This spot has been a difficult gardening space and the plant has been dead for 6 months easily, probably longer.

I did not expect my son’s response.

Daire choked up and fought his tears from spilling over.  He wiped them away, trying not to let me see.

He has teared up like this before.  Recently, I described Mt St Helens eruption.  We watched a short video and his tears let loose as he learned 57 people died, all the animals gone and the trees completely blasted down. The story hurt him the way it hurt the earth.

It concerns me that he doesn’t want me to see the tears.  I gave him a kiss and told him that I loved how much he cares.  He leaned over and hugged me, a wonderful vulnerable moment shared openly.

“Do you know what happens when we die?”  I asked.

He shook his head.

“We become a part of the world around us.  When I die I will become a part of you, and Dana and your favorite places on the earth.”

He nodded, thinking.

“I don’t think it happens that way.”  He said finally.

“What happens?”

“I think we get old and then we die, then we are born again.”  He nodded firmly, very confident.

“Yes. I believe that happens too. We become new beings.”  I paused.  “Is that sad or scary?”

He was still fighting his tears but he said “No.”  Nothing more.

But it is change. Monumental, unstoppable, life-altering change.

CONTACT ME

marika@marikareinke.com

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