Call To The Spirits

by Nancy Griswold

Original - Not For Sale

Price

Not Specified

Dimensions

22.000 x 28.000 inches

Title

Call To The Spirits

Artist

Nancy Griswold

Medium

Painting - Oil Painting On Canvas

Description

7/14/2021 THANK YOU all so much for your support and votes I made to the top 30 in the 2021 Self Portrait Contest publicly voted semi-finalists run by Jerry's Artorama, contest closed July 16, 2021. I so appreciate your support and votes which made this happen.

The facebook link to my image in the top thirty chosen is at this link: https://www.facebook.com/JerrysArtarama/photos/a.10158456957629247/10158456886204247


Complete gallery of reproductions available of my art is found at:
https://nancy-griswold.pixels.com/

My framed original oil paintings that are for sale can be found at:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NGARTSITE



12/22/2021 TOP FINISHER in the contest titled Artist's Favorite Painting on Fine Art America, 180 submissions


2/19/2022 SPECIAL FEATURED, peer nominated for a special feature in the group called 1000 views on Fine Art America



3/3/2025 Featured in Over 2000 Views on Fine Art America

11/9/2022 Featured in Symbolism group on Fine Art America

2/16/2022 Featured in 1000 Views on 1 image group on Fine Art America

1/29/2022 Featured in 1000 to 1999 Views group on Fine Art America

8/18/2018 Featured in A Woman's Touch group on Fine Art America

8/12/2018 Featured in Painting 500 Views group on Fine Art America

4/28/2018 Featured in Painting The Old Way group on Fine Art America

4/27/2018 Featured in Your Story Your Art group on Fine Art America

Administrator’s choice and "SHOWCASED" at the top of the Home Page in the "Out Of The Ordinary " group on Fine Art America 2/20/18 - 3/5/18. This group has 2,036 members, 54, 073 Images. Find the group at this link: https://fineartamerica.com/groups/out-of-the-ordinary-1-a-day.html

2/7/2018 Featured in New Age Spiritual Art group on Fine Art America

2/4/2018 "Call to the Spirits" made special administrator's choice of the week and is specially promoted on Fine Art America through the group called
Old Masters Painters and Traditional Arts

2/3/2018 Featured in Arts Fantastic World group on FineArtAmerica.com

Featured 2/3/2018 in Images that Excite You group on FineArtAmerica.com

Featured 2/2/2018 in Created By My Hands Non Digital group on FineArtAmerica.com

About CALL TO THE SPIRITS

This is a story painting about myself and some of my perceptions, as well as connection to the spirit world the last 12 years. The painting was allowed to take on a life of it’s own as I worked on it. I would naturally connect imagery that would come to mind as I painted shapes and forms with suggestions.

Some of the thoughts were that I have always felt I was an embodiment of nature itself. Made of flesh and water, I have mind and heart like all sentient beings in my life. I also thought of the great mystery and the intelligence of a life connection in the unseen world beyond my own. After several deaths of those I love I feel I have tapped into a minuscule perception and feelings of this realm. Thoughts of birth, the life cycle and death were prevalent during this painting. I thought of the mourning paintings which have been made by other artists for centuries and that I was not alone in expressing myself while making this work.

TOP RIGHT :
I looked at the Mona Lisa and there was a landscape in the top right of the painting and somehow this ocean and mountain I created has some type of relationship to that work. Mine shows a landscape with a moon-scape and reflection falling over ocean. There is a sailboat is in the left in the distance signifying the passage of life as an onlooker views from a mountaintop in the foreground. The mountains in the background reminded me of the White Mountains of New Hampshire where I lived and roamed for many years.

THE ANIMALS:

The cat is my cat I have now who has been with me for years, she looks at the moon which is also the mallet for the drum she is braced on. My cat is very old now and I am tending to her much in her final years. (note: my white cat passed on shortly after I painted this)

The fish is a fancy tailed gold fish, I had Golda for at least 10 years, she was the longest surviving goldfish I had and I was most attentive to her. I owned goldfish since 2006 when I kept them as the Japanese do for good luck. Her partner "Sah-sha" was with her for many years but passed on earlier.

The collie is my dog named Elsa. I had Elsa from 8 weeks old until her death and was emotionally connected to her on so many levels. She was my second collie and I still think of her often.

THE MAN on the Top left:
This is the spirit of my late man friend and partner Roberto. He had a great knack for being emotionally sensitive and empathetic towards others. He was deeply spiritual within his personal world. He would find ways to lighten my moods with laughter and fun which gave me much relief. He gave much attention to my cat. I have had the sense he is watching over me and embraces me with love at times.

OTHER SYMBOLS:

THE MOON:
The moon is our natural instincts, our true inner selves, our emotional self, what we need to feel nurtured…the moon represents our emotional nature, our security and deepest needs. It plays both as a ball for my cat and a mallet for my ring drum, the moon is also in two other places in this painting. Often I use looking at the moon for a tool in gaining perspective on hardships of life.

THE WATERFALL:
For Golda: I imagine my gold fish Golda, now fee and pain free is a magiacal stream with a waterfall.
For me: Water is generally has a special place as it is considered to have spiritual cleansing powers and is sacred. The waterfall symbol in particular can mean that severe disappointment will make you wiser. ... Waterfalls often relate to a great release of emotion, rejuvenation and renewal of spirit. All of this describes my needs and sadness in loosing my friends to death. This waterfall reminds me of many I have seen in the White Mountains of NH.

THE BIRDS:
Both old eagle and newly born birds ….. Bird spirit is the perfect symbol for freedom and perspective. Because they fly high into the sky, Light workers often tell us that they are messengers of the Gods who provide humans with a bridge between the mundane and spiritual life

Eagle like bird face: The eagle with its keen eyes symbolizes perspicacity, courage, strength and immortality, but is also considered "king of the skies" and messenger of the highest gods. With these attributed qualities the eagle became a symbol of power and strength in Ancient Rome.

THE FURS:
The fur that is falling over towards the drum came from my grandmother as well as the coat I was wearing. I feel connection with her having it in my painting, it is something she truly treasured and kept her warm and now I hold it. I live in Northern New England so I wear and cover myself furs to keep warm in the bitter cold months. My furs are either family heirlooms or created and made by my friends from road kills. This hat was custom made for me by an old friend Martin Kimball. The animals have passed on leaving me their furs for warmth and I thank them.

THE DRUM:
Drums are known as symbols of the heartbeat of mother earth. Here my handmade ring drum, by leather maker and craftsman Mark Humpal, is embracing my old cat to offer her connection and comfort in her life passage. I love this drum and play it when I can be near alone in remote places, it has an amazing vibration and resonance which can be felt right to one's core.

BUTTERFLY:
Butterflies are deep and powerful representations of life. Many cultures associate the butterfly with our souls. Around the world, people view the butterfly as representing endurance, change, hope, and life…and it is hope that I hold onto when I have no clear vision on what is to come.

Uploaded

January 25th, 2018

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