Artist Tom Stella and this piece titled Gaurdian of the Forest came in to my home by the generous hand of my  friend, Jane.

This was given to me right when I sprained my ankle, and was in recovery from my car accident – a little over a year ago now.

With my arm casted, my ankle useless, and my seperation from my ex at it’s peak, I had called on the good graciousness of my many friends to help me. Jane actually is the one who encouraged me – she told me she’d be really mad at me if she found out I needed help and didn’t ask, and she was completely right – yet asking for so much help ( oh my gosh I needed help with everything) for an entire month was more than I thought I could do. Was it my pride? Really, what is it that has us hesitate to ask for help? Needless to say I did ask, and thank goodness she encouraged me, because I would not have gotten through all of that otherwise.

Rewind a bit to the fall….I had asked Jane to attend this art exhibit with me at the CAC’s Annual Art Open, another friend and my collage mentor, Ann Kleboe had a lovely piece she was exhibiting. I wanted to support Anne, but didn’t want to go to the exhibit myself.

Jane has a very impressive personal art collection and I knew she’d appreciate the show and perhaps she’d even find something she’d want to purchase.  She was that kindof person. I loved the exhibit, as did she and playfully we both picked out things we absolutely loved. Which really is a great idea…find the paintings that speak to you and declare them as your favorite.

I picked this one, for fun. The one I am sharing with you here today.

Life then of course went on it’s merry way and soon I was caught up in this personal whirlwind of total crap.

It was hard for Jane to come over because she’s allergic to my cats, we typically meet at her house.  She hadn’t met Marble yet and as it was some other friends were over doing a wonderful clean sweep of housekeeping for me. I had gotten a horrific cold that day, had this wicked fever blister on my lip, my ankle, my cast – well you get the picture – I was a wreck.  Jane called to say may she stop by and in she walks with the gift of this framed print.

She had encouraged the artist to do a limited edition print – mine being the very first of 25 – Tom Stella was very happy to be one of many artists who sold work at this exhibit and when I wrote to him to say how much this print meant to me – he was very glad to hear that it had found a meaningful home, and when I asked to share this image today, he of course said yes!  (Thank you, Tom!)

There are many many things I love about this piece. That I even have it is amazing, but what spoke to me about it in the first place was its deep greens and blues, the division of earth and sky – at least that is what I see in my minds eye. I was taken with layers of leaves imbedded (look in may a book of mine and you will find pressed leaves), many areas in the piece have remarkable texture. The gaurdian while primitive spoke to me of never being alone. Universal protection one might say. The brilliant blue still speaks to me to this day. I just love it.

A newer piece of his is just dripping in blue – go check it out.

Thank you Jane for gifting in a way that is you, so very generous and so very very kind. Thank you Tom for your unique expression and especially speaking so brilliantly with the color blue. You speak my blueness. 

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Karen Hanrahan ~ Wellness Educator/Nutritional Consultant/Blog Author
708.482.0678 ~ Websites: Nutrition Weight Loss, and Green Clean as seen on Oprah