life | deidre noreen

Nov 22

A Pandemic, and Election, a year I couldn’t have imagined

I wish I had started a journal when the covid 19 pandemic started. In March of this year we began a quarantine…the details of which I can scarcely remember. We wore masks and gloves.. we hoarded toilet paper, and food, and tried to stay home. Some said it was hoax..others said it was inevitable. We forgot that we are insignificant in the eyes of viruses.

Eight months later we are still wearing masks. The restaurant I work at closed, reinvented itself to outdoor dining, started providing take out, and closed again as cold weather set in. We have a newly elected president, waiting for January to make it official. We have an insane, inept, and narcissistic man holding desperately onto an office he has lost. It’s a weird and scary time.

In the meantime, my own life has pushed forward in unrelated ways. My son is not well. I am at a loss in how to help him. It has been hard..exceptionally hard. The hardest thing I have ever had to go through. Life has been hard for so many people. Life is not fair. I know this so much. Bad things happen to very good people. Bad people get rewarded for bad behavior. I do not understand any of this..I don’t even accept it.. it just is how it is.

I continue to paint. I paint what makes me happy. Bright colors…animals..nature. These things bring me comfort. I need comfort. The world needs comfort.

Below is She feels the winds of change

May there be change. May there be healing.

Oct 29

My Octopus Teacher

I watch the movie the other night on Netflix and fell in love with the beautiful octopus on screen. When we can travel again, I want to visit the kelp forest in South Africa and meet my own octopus teacher

Sep 11

A wellspring of landscapes

The Land is burning is Oregon, Washington, and California. I am worried about my friends..several have evacuated. The skies are red and smoke filled; Portland has the worst air quality in the world right now.

And I am in Gorham… so far away, painting. Not oblivious to what is happening in the world. Just trying to find comfort in ways I can. The world is suffering this year. We must dig deep. I must dig deep and find the wellspring within myself.

There is so much to face and deal with right now. But there is also beauty and kindness and love to be found. I will focus on what can be ahead..what I can create..what I can offer that contributes in better ways, healing ways, loving ways.

Aug 28

Build the New

Every day is an exercise in building the new ❤️

Aug 23

After the Rain Falls

Covid is getting to me. Admittedly, I haven’t been as effected by the pandemic as others.. I don’t have school aged kids, I was able to get unemployment when my work place closed, I’m a natural homebody and introvert, I had time to finish projects..it hasn’t been awful.

I am at work again and tourist season is in bloom and it’s harder now. More effort, more stress, more worry, more irritation. I am ready to not wear a mask 7-8 hours a day. I am ready to travel and see people and hug. But I can’t.

So this painting.. is hope. That this will end and there will be brighter days…

Aug 10

All my Relations

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We’re in the midst of a global pandemic.

Did I fail to mention this? We, the United States are also facing increased civil unrest. That phrase, “civil unrest” is insufficient.. and awkward. So much is going on.. none of which I have said about in this blog which has lain fallow for a year. How does one catch up on all that happened..who am I to comment on any of it. I paint happy things, not always as a distraction, but as way seeing the light, the positive, the hope that there are better days to come.. sometimes I do paint to forget it all.

global pandemic.covid 19. Black Lives Matter. Th names of so many black men and women killed by police..so many I fear naming a few , leaving out so many..it’s too many..it’s heartbreaking.. 2020 is heartbreaking is on so many levels. My own personal life filled with heart break and trauma, too much to explain or come to terms with..so I push forward instead.

Here is what I am learning..here is what I am working on.

Nature is a powerful teacher

My words create my reality.. use my words wisely, kindly

I alone am responsible for my response

Everyday is sacred

There is room and need for ritual every day.

Love..when all else fails.. love..

My presence and my actions effect the world around me

We are all connected

Bring joy into my life.. seek it.. do what I love

This is a bit of a ramble, I know. I remain committed to engaging with the world in loving and kind ways, my art, this blog, included.

blessings and peace to everyone ❤️

Aug 23

Forest Prince and Wee Art

I haven’t painted in awhile. So much change has happened in the last 6 months.I sold my home, moved to another that is in a continuous state of remodeling. A few days ago I was finally able to sit down in my reassembled studio and paint. Below is the fruits of that labor..Forest Bear. An oil on 12X16 canvas.

And below are pieces I gave as gifts at a dinner party I hosted as a way of saying Thank You to the lovely friends who have helped me through this last year. The pieces are painted on the back sides of vintage metal print blocks. I love them.I had most guests pick out their own, those that couldn’t make it, I one selected for them. There a few more that didn’t make into the gallery..alas.

Jan 11

When Spirits Meet

Mixed media on 24″x36″

I have been wanting to paint this piece for such a long time. I practice, live, a nature based spiritual life. At the base of this practice is relationship. My relationship with the world around me.. not just people but place and land and earth and all of its creation. Relationship feeds and fuels inspiration.

My particular love of owls is no secret.

This piece is homage to that relationship.

Jun 14

1 Comment

application and demonstration

either you do it or you don’t…there is no try

Feb 1

Red Mittens, lovely people, and the Argentine Tango.

It’s been a tough past month for various reasons. It’s a shame because I really love living here and the toughness has taken away from my daily joy of being New Hampshire.

Yesterday I was reminded that I must focus on the wonderful and beautiful things around me.

My husband took me for my weekly Sunday Drive. He drives, I marvel at all the pretty things outside the window. We drove up to Dummer first because I wanted to show him the ice fishing huts on the reservoir.

We drive up here regularly to look for moose or sightsee. The lake is frozen solid now, or pretty solid. I had to walk on it of course because I don’t think I’ve ever walked on a frozen body of water. I figure if cars and little huts were safe, I would be safe enough too.

Afterwards we went to the Milan Winter Festival. I wanted to try the snowshoeing obstacle course, but there was scheduling snafu and it wasn’t running when we arrived. I also missed the animal show which included AN ARTIC FOX! I was very bummed about that. Apparently he or she is the only traveling arctic fox in the Northern Hempishere (I may be exaggerating that fact).

But to make up for all that, I got these

The most beautiful pair of hand spun, hand knitted, raw fleeced lined mittens! They are really special. They’re knitted by my new friend Robin, such a lovely person. So incredibly talented. Definitely falls under my buying rule, “only buy what you really really love.”

Chris and I then headed toward home. We drove through Milan and the unexplored(by us) hillsides of Berlin. There are some really lovely areas up there, who knew?!

Like this place…sooo pretty.

It was a very chilly day, I think it may have warmed up to 5 degrees by 2:00, maybe..

When we settled home, I checked into the local(by local I mean, New England..not North Country NH) tango scene and discovered there was a class just down road 20 miles. I called and got directions and headed out at 6. I have missed dancing so much. I have missed the music and the connection and the movement.

The class was small only 8 of us counting the teachers, a really lovely couple. The dancing was great though, especially considering it was a lesson and not a milonga. And everyone was so nice and welcoming. It was wonderful. It was what my soul needed. I am a dancer at heart.

fine art and craft

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