At last stepping into May, spring is here and with that brings the wind. An element I often struggle with, an agitation and disruption to the calm, nature’s chaos. I recently heard a person say that chaos is the spark of creation and with that a new appreciation for the wind. The turbulence brings in new life, new air. Offering a new exchange. Living in Northern Arizona I am surrounded by the Ponderosa pine trees, this in itself is a blessing. Surrounded by old friends, forest dwellers, the ancients. When the wind blows, if you look up in the sky the trees dance, it looks like a party. Thinking of these elders and how their life is so stationery, never having the chance to pick up and go, to change their perspective only as they grow at a slow pace. But when the wind blows they get to bend, sway, touch each other, exchange. This brought a new joy with the wind, some new life for the pine friends.
When I think about wind, it is the air element. Breath. The Air element is related to the throat chakra, making sense aligning with the breath. In sacred geometry it is represented as an octahedron, a polygon with eight equal triangular faces. It is made up of two four-sided triangles (pyramids) of equal proportion that meet at the base. It is an unseen force of movement and power linking to the spiritual realm. For me working with the element of air requires grounding, either through yoga, getting my hands in the dirt or just taking things slow and deliberate. Not allowing myself to get swept away with the strong forces but to allow them to work around me, to allow the flow of change to move. I was once taught in yoga to be like a tree, to root your feet into the earth and allow for the dance of the wind to move around me but to remember I am rooted in the earth, stable and strong. This has been helpful advice that I still continue to practice.
Breath
Wind is the breath of change, blowing in moving, shaping, sculpting, removing that which is not grounded, solid in the earth. Life is always a constant change, nothing permanent. Sitting down to reflect on chaos, change and movement I can say again, a lot has been going on here. With the spring brings new growth, an overwintering from last year with better understanding and deeper knowledge.
Over the past couple of months I completed a collection of work that I am so proud of, Emergence. This was a birth of 12 paintings, all tied together with the color purple. This completion required rest, I have been resting and allowing what is next to come. During the rest home life has changed again, a welcomed partnership and collaboration in growth and abundance. We have been planting seeds, literal seeds for the future. Plant babies in hopes of food, medicine, beauty and sanctuary. Cultivating a small part of the earth for what may become a small farm one day, a true dream of mine and to share that with my friend, partner and companion in love makes it even better. There is a trust and hope in planting for a future, every day little steps towards the bigger picture. Sculpting the land, nurturing the dirt and touching every aspect of this little plot of land. Dreaming of the colors that will one day paint the hillside and the butterflies that will soon come to play. When learning about the seedlings, how to encourage growth I learned that wind, the movement of air introduced at the initial stages of life creates stronger stems. More stable plants and better growth. Another lesson from the wind.
Whole Love
For Whole Love commission inquires, visit here.
Part of my evolution as a human, artist is allowing my work to take shape as service to others. I created a piece called Whole Love for the Emergence collection. What started out as a spontaneous piece, asking my boyfriend if I could use his profile and mine alongside, with intention of offering to sell became something very sacred to me. Not all of my work is meant for others, and this one became very apparent it was not. But what sparked from this piece was opening it up to others for commission, an opportunity to create a special piece of work capturing connection. Whole Love is made up of two profiles facing each other, the eyes lining up honoring that special connection and creating a whole love. Behind the profiles is a mandala, a mandala is a representation of wholeness or universe. Each mandala I create is intuitive and comes through at the moment of creation, never recreating the same thing twice, they are always different capturing a moment in time. I am so excited to open up Whole Love commissions as gifts to people, whether it be to honor a new marriage or anniversary or maybe just long-time friends. I find the whole process of creating these to be very special, it is a time where I can remove myself from the work and allow creator to fully step through and create with me, for them. I am so in love with this project and excited to share.
So the wind is here, the change is happening. My life is evolving, my work transforming into a supportive aspect of this dream. I can’t be more thrilled to keep creating, painting and sharing. The dream is here, so many projects ahead. I will be painting a new series, preparing for Art in the Park here in Flagstaff over 4th of July weekend.
Recently completed commission, Monsoon Meadow, size: 48” x 60”
Jill Sans is an artist based in Flagstaff, Arizona. Her work is that of beautification from paintings to cosmetic tattooing. She currently works out of The HeArt Box Studio and Gallery in historic downtown, Flagstaff.