Stones find their way into pockets, onto windowsills, or making a path in the garden. They hold my gaze when their weathered washed shapes appear in clusters. It could be a stream, lake shore or the ocean. I feel a deep resonance to their various sizes, colours and textures.
This week my underpaintings are ready for completion. I have the larger 24 X 48 inch and two smaller 8 X 8 inch. Maybe the little ones shall be paintings of stones – the patterns and how the earth breathes through their presences.
Sprout question: Where might we find your most inspiring stones?
© 2011 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.
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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.
From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada
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Loving the image of “the breath of stones”. Thinking about the way stones breathe really slowly…so slowly that eons might pass in a single exhale and inhale. My most inspiring stones are along the shores of Lake Superior, dark round stones, sweat lodge stones.
Thanks Kathy for sharing your favourite stones with us. I think I have seen a few of these on your blog posts in the past – surrounded by shore ice.
Ahhhhhh Terrill – a woman after my own heart!
Sprout question: Where might we find your most inspiring stones?
Just YESTERDAY at HolEssence I taught an Introduction to Crystal Therapy class where the students learned the difference between crystals, stones, and minerals–and the energetic value of each.
My most inspiring stones are located in my pockets.
Laurie it sounds like the most amazing class and I am wishing I was just a wee bit closer so I could have ventured in and joined you. The best – stones in pockets!
I call them “touchstones” ….they are the special souls who fill me…loyal friends who stand by my side in support and understanding….kind and compassionate…bringing clarity and comfort as needed. Sometimes they question me and make me think deeper. Usually they confirm that I am on the right path. Often, they make me laugh from the belly. All I have to do is ask or reach out. They are within me, always.
-Shell
Shell they are that for sure “touchstones” Even the great big stones – as big as a house end up being “touchstones” with my hands lingering on their surface as I stroll past. Glad you were able to drop in today 🙂
P.S. Dear readers, you may want to visit some of Shell’s great designs at http://www.shellartistree.com/collections1.php
Beautiful photograph! I love stones as well. Not so many here, but when I was in up state New York there were stones everywhere, and the river stones along the Battekill river were the best.
I once made path to my cabin at Easton Mt with personally chosen stones that spoke to me as I walked.
I carried stones back to NJ with me that I collected, the now grace the front steps of the house, I also have a collection of Crystals, and Minerals…
There is just something about “stones” !!!
Jeff I so agree – there IS something about stones 🙂 As a child, I remember making small piers out into the lake by carefully stacking stones. It meant for a few wet feet testing how it would work but we spent hours along the shoreline seeing how far we could build the rocks out into the water.
By the way Jeff, great new post “The Moment Encountered“
Terrill,
How sweet of you to link my blog!!!
My pleasure to make the connect for readers. It is a great post.
i call them rocks – i have wooden boxes that chocolates come in and there i keep special things like rocks and such
Jerry I can just imagine some of great chocolate boxes filled with your special rocks. What a surprise if a guest was expecting to find chocolate 🙂
Dear readers, Jerry is collaborating with poet Renée Sigel with a new blog I am enjoying – The Shawback Redemptions If you like powerful poetry and exquisite line drawings be sure to drop in.
My most inspiring stones… the Oregon Coast. Searching for Agates, it’s amazing what you sometimes find. I love how deep and vivid the colors of stones are when wet!
Kat in the north central interior of British Columbia where my parents and my grandparents lived we went agate hunting as well. It is a very meditative practice that everyone from the very young to the very old can participate in – if you can stroll, you are able to hunt for agates along a quiet gravel road or a lake shore. By the way, your latest post “A Personal Equation” is a very familiar formula for me as well.
The most calming stones are the wall paper in my dentist’s office of a mountain stream full of small pebbles and stones.
nice photograph on very interesting stones….Stones were important in history I remember the Scottish tale of the Stone of Scone ( not sure of the spelling) or the Stone of Destiny
Patricia I have never heard of the Scottish tales about stone. Will check it out. Calming wall paper with small pebbles and stones in a dentist office works for me. Best of the week to you.
Terrill, did you see the movie Something’s Gotta Give … Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson? She collected only white stones on the beach etc etc etc. Great movie, one of my favorites, and I was reminded of it as soon as I read your post. Otherwise, I feel sort of out of touch w/the world of stones. I will be more observant in that regard! Loved the photograph. Have a good week (trying to get motivated today … but my creative energy isn’t flowing just yet. Patience, right?! 🙂
I did see that movie Daisy. Nice connection to have to this post. Best of the week to you as well.
Psst! I am in the middle of this weeks painting and trying to get up enough nerve to move in with a large palette knife. Still deciding….
I love the photo and the composition. Nice take.
Where might I find inspiring stones? Seldom a day passes without finding a neat stone… they appear when you least expect to find them. It helps to have a passion for stones.
Like today I was cleaning out the ditch along our driveway and found a perfectly smooth, symmetrical stone. It was a real keeper. One would not expect to find a smooth stone anywhere near the top of this rocky sandstone ridge.
I never used to pay much attention to stones, but Shirley woke me up to them. I started to grind and polish them and discovered how to make them into hearts. After that I started to find “natural hearts”… which before would go undetected. My point is you can train your eyes to see things you never used to know existed.
Sherwin thank you so much for sharing your recent and lasting experiences with stones. I feel like it was like finding a shiny pebble right here in the comments 🙂 I hadn’t been by your blog for awhile and what a great surprise to land on your latest post with a pair of eagles followed up with some great spring flower shots. An outstanding collection.
Now back to painting… I think I have decided which palette knife to use.
Terrill, I can’t say they are my most “inspiring” stones in a complete sense, though in large measure they define my present-day health and diligence to maintaining to the kind of diet that has been urged on me by others (including our dear friend Laurie Buchanan).
Alas they are my “kidney stones.”
I know, boooooo!!!! LOL!!!!
Well, I have some there again after a few procedures to remove the last bout, but for now I am leaving them be in the absense of any kind of acute pain.
I love the description of your own Mayne Island stones, and of the beautiful tapestry above. I’ll be watching for the completion of the work that was inspired by the multi-shaped objects in discussion here.
Sam I can see from your comment that you are developing a new relationship with your very own personal stones. Keep up the good work. It is not easy to change our habits and ways of being. Sounds like you are doing a great job.
There is a large stone in my latest painting which won’t be finished for Friday – but close I think. We shall see if it is dry enough to work on later today. Otherwise I will need to leave it and start on two small canvas.
Sam I can see from your comment that you are developing a new relationship with your very own personal stones. Keep up the good work. It is not easy to change our habits and ways of being. Sounds like you are doing a great job.
There is a large stone in my latest painting which won’t be finished for Friday – but close I think. We shall see if it is dry enough to work on later today. Otherwise I will need to leave it and start on two small canvas.
P.S. Sam I have been trying all week to get a change to have a good read of the latest posts at Wonders in the Dark. And there is also an older post from July by your review partner Allan about MEMORIES OF MATSUKO (2006). Today! Today I shall get an opportunity.
This picture is multiligual. It speak to me of rice fields in Indonesia (the distant rocks w/green hue) and reminds me of the new earth laval fields on the Big Island of Hawaii. I love rocks too. Especially the heart shaped stones. Amoung my favorites are the red moss covered pieces I found in the Grand Canyon as well as the 3 stone hearts I found on Maui, in the Grand Tetons and on the beach in Puerto Rico.
Alison so many unique heart-shaped rocks! I like that these rocks speak to so many places for you. Reminds me that we live on one earth. Rocks are a great uniting force.
Beautiful picture, Terrill! Softly serene, yet teeming with life.
Sprout question: Where might we find your most inspiring stones?
Like you, I pick them up often, and they end up being transported about. I do especially favour the heart shaped ones. But, I Love gathering from various countries and high vibrational sacred places. Lava rock from the Panama mountains, Costa Rican seasides, and Northern CA mountains especially speak to me.
Ah yes Antonia the pockets weighted with precious stones… nice feeling. I sometimes have stones that stay in the pockets of various jackets. I rub them when I put on my jacket as if welcoming old friends to my day.
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