Goin' Deep: The Power of Solitude

I thought it would be fun to occasionally dive a little deeper into a piece of art.  What does it mean to me, or do for me, on a deeper level?  About eight years ago I went through a divorce.  Having two daughters and sharing custody with my ex-husband, meant that all of a sudden I had a lot of time alone.  Every other weekend and one day in the middle of each week was very quiet without my children.  First and foremost, I needed to heal and recover from the stress and emotions that so often go with a divorce.  But as the months rolled on I began to see that I was going to survive the dramatic life changes and that I actually really treasured this time alone.  More than anything it gave me time to just be with my self.  I read many self-help books and began to feel emotionally stronger and healthy.  I think that those quiet weekends and hours of solitude greatly contributed to my recovery and my ability to be happy again.  So when I read this quote by Virginia Woolf I knew that it had to go in my art journal and that a lone bird perched in a tree should accompany it.  I still treasure moments of quiet and solitude.  Quiet time restores my energy and allows me to prioritize what needs to get done that day and what can wait.   Many things in life require our 'passionate attention' and making space in our lives for quiet and solitude can help us see where we most need to focus this attention.  How do you feel about solitude?  Do you love it and embrace it or do you avoid it at all costs?

The background for this page was created with Luminarte Silks Acrylic Glazes and the Hero Arts Wildflower Garden Cling stamps.  The bird was made using one of Donna Downey's foam stamps.  The branch was die cut with Tim Holtz Alterations Bird Branch die.  The green leaves in the upper corners are stamped with a stamp from the Dylusions Around the Edge set.