American S.P.I.R.I.T…

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american spirit, americans, art, cherokee, chief, feathers, headdress, immigrants, immigration, indian, indians, native american, native americans, tribe

“Chief”

Mixed Media Painting/Collage

Sharon Cummings

2014

Sometimes we forget about the original Americans.  There is much talk today about immigrants in the United States.  As if, we are somehow “pure” to this continent.  Most of us came here as a result of families that immigrated from other countries.  I have Italian and Irish mixed into my genes.  But my great grandmother was one of the originals.  Full-blooded Cherokee.  So I am a mix of here and there.  A true American spirit…

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My Saving G.R.A.C.E…

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abstract, abundance, air, alternative medicine, aqua, arts, aura, blue, brown, canvas, celestial, cerulean blue, coral, divine, divinity, eco, energy, fractal, grace, green, heal, healing, healing arts, health, holistic, indian, kaleidoscope, meditation, mirror, mirror image, modern, Music, mystic, mystical, native american, new age, om, organic, painting, pattern, patterns, positive, prints, sacred, saving grace, shakti, sharon cummings, spirit, spiritual, symbol, symbolic, symbolism, symmetrical, symmetry, tribal, unique, vibration, vibrational, wall art, wicca, yoga, zen

 

It may come as a surprise to some of my readers and followers, but I have a rebellious streak in me that made me a less than ideal student, a problem daughter and ex-wife to 3 men.  I’ve never liked being told what I should do or how I should act.  I am a rule breaker and an outspoken independent woman. My mother would often scold calling me a little brat.  Her favorite line was, “That mouth of yours is going to get you into real trouble someday.” I suppose she was right in that I have found myself in many uncomfortable situations over the years by words I’ve said.  After my first meeting with my now Mother-In-Law she told my husband, “Wow, she will say anything.” But that openness is also my “saving grace”.  It enabled me to stand up to an abuser declaring enough was enough.  I exposed everything without leaving off details and was able to heal.  It is also what has allowed me to be a “real” mom to my own child.  She was never confused about where babies came from or whether or not Santa was real.  This same freedom of thought and voice is also what gives me the ability to create artwork without following set guidelines. Because I do not limit myself in any way, I am able to paint with acrylics, take photographs or use my computer to produce artwork.

What is your “saving grace”?  It just might be something that you were told was “bad” about you, but in reality turns out to be something so very “good”.

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Are You Honest?

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abstract, abundance, air, alternative medicine, aura, brown, burgundy, burnt orange, canvas, celestial, coral, divine, eco, energy, fractal, garnet, heal, healing, healing arts, health, holistic, honesty, indian, kaleidoscope, meditation, mirror, mirror image, modern, Music, mustard, mystic, mystical, native american, new age, om, organic, painting, pattern, patterns, positive, prints, rusty, sacred, shakti, sharon cummings, spirit, spiritual, symbol, symbolic, symbolism, symmetrical, symmetry, tribal, truth, unique, vibration, vibrational, wall art, wicca, yoga, zen

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/honesty-visionary-art-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

Ask most people if they are honest and they will say “yes” with absolute conviction.  We as a people like to think that we have integrity and morals.  In the larger picture, that may be true. After all the majority of the population obey the rules and stay out of jail.  We work hard and raise our children to be upstanding citizens.  We pay our taxes.  We live an honorable life.

But the truth is (pun intended) that we tell “little” lies all of the time.  We convince our little ones that there is this person called Santa Claus.  We tell our friends we have other plans when we just do not feel like going out to dinner with them.  We call in sick to work when what we really want is a day off.  And we tell our mate we had a salad for lunch when we really had a cheeseburger in order to avoid conflict.  And one of the biggest lies we all tell is that we are “fine” when someone asks how we are doing when we really feel horrible.  In fact, we are a lying culture because it is much more acceptable to be polite than sincere.  

Where am I going with all of this?  I honestly do not know, except to explore just how complex our ethics really are.  We are taught that lying is wrong, but we are also taught that you shouldn’t hurt people.  The truth hurts sometimes….so we avoid it.  Because the lesser of two evils is to spare someone’s feelings.  Or is it to spare our own?  Conflict avoidance seems to be one of the biggest triggers for dishonesty.

In my own life, I try to avoid doing things that I would need to lie about to the people I love.  My child was also never subjected to the “stork” and Santa Claus was “The Christmas Spirit”.  But am I 100% honest?

My newest piece above titled “Honesty” is. 🙂

 

What Do You See??

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abstract, air, alternative medicine, arts, aura, canvas, celestial, coral, divine, divinity, dream, dreamscape, eco, energy, fairy, fantasy, feminine, figurative, goddess, goddesses, gold, green, guardian, heal, healing, healing arts, health, holistic, indian, live, meditation, modern, muse, mystic, mystical, mythical creatures, native american, new age, painting, princess, prints, queen, red, sacred, shakti, sharon cummings, spirit, spiritual, sylph, symbol, symbolism, tribal, vibration, vibrational, wall art, wall decor, wicca, woman, yellow, yoga, zen

What do you see when you peer through the looking glass? Original paintings fused together to create unique one of a kind pieces. Let me mirror your imagination. You might see an angel or a warrior. Owls, dogs, frogs and kings. All are hidden (or not so hidden) within these colors. The more you look, the more you see! Enjoy this new colorful menagerie.

MY N.E.W. SERIES!!  “The Looking Glass”……so much to see….more here (2 more coming today and many more coming soon, so check back often!):

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries&artworkgalleryid=344305

A Sacred Place

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abstract art, art, art collectors, Artist, celebration of life, cherokee, Children, contemporary art, death, faabest, Family, grief, healed, healer, healing, indians, life, love, Memorial, memories, modern art, mother, mothers, native american, native americans, sharon cummings, spirit, spirituality, tribute

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries

I don’t just sell art.  I form relationships with my collectors.  I bring people together, make a house a home or an office a welcoming place.  I create and inspire.

A few years ago one of my collectors contacted me with a very special request.  She said it took her many months to get up the nerve to ask because she thought I would say no.  Her Mom had passed away and she wanted to do something special with her ashes.  She wanted to know if I would be willing to incorporate some of her mother into one of my pieces.  A commission based on “Fire Over Copper Lake”.  I did not hesitate and said yes.

I was soon touched to learn that we shared a Native American ancestry.  Her Mom was a healer in this life and touched many souls.  In my lifetime I have had a spiritual guide named Ama which means water in Cherokee.  The piece I would be creating had to do with a “lake”…or water.  Her mother’s Indian name was “clear water”.  Creating this memorial painting felt more than right for me….it felt like a homage to my own spiritual mother as well.  She arrived in a beautiful pouch surrounded by the sweet smell of sage.  I handled her with care and blessed her ashes before I mixed them with the paint.  The piece turned out beautifully….my collector was moved beyond words…and I like to think that a few ashes are here in my studio still and that Ama is with me always…..

Happy Sunday

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abundance, affirmations, american indian, chakra, chief, conscious, energy, enigma, enigmas, fractal, healing, healing arts, indian, kaleidoscope, mind, mind's eye, mirror, mirror image, native american, organic, pattern, patterns, sharon cummings, subconscious, symmetrical, symmetry, third eye, tribal, tribes, unique, vibration, vibrational

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/enigma-conscious-art-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

I am off for the rest of the day….enjoy my NEWEST….”Enigma”!