Your posts are, for me, like receiving a long letter from a deeply missed old friend who lives forever far away. The letters are thoughtful, kind, insightful, vulnerable ( but not cringy ) and can navigate in and around and at the uncomfortable edges of creative wonder in ways that speak to me. I value that so much. I so like looking at the light emerging over mountain and the running in the rain paintings. I also like the effort to capture the "gloaming" times of the day...a favorite time for me but one that is so elusive. 👏 👏 👏 I am so happy that I have 3 of your prints to look at on my wall. I will add one of the above when they become available...maybe even both because I would not know how to choose one over the other. I must require alot more room for my awareness of awe and wonder.
Per horizon - I once said, 30 years ago, to a painter I knew, that I was so drawn to the horizon and his response was " why? Nothing is happening there!". I felt so shamed, slammed and stupid. Just this morning I listened to a great Brazilian thinker about time and he said that when he was between the ages of 6 & 16 he sat at the edge of a body of water for hours, several times a week, looking at the horizon. This is my paraphrase - For him it was where the ineffable met the earth. It was where he could feel the universe. He said we should refer to the universe always as "you" and never as "it" and that this would deeply alter our relationship with this dynamically beautiful jewel of a planet and the heavens it rests within.
I felt so heard.
There is a way in which I also feel heard in your art. 🙏 🤲
This is truly such a lovely comment to receive. I love to share my work and ideas with people and to know that you enjoy them so much is truly such a special thing for me to hear! That painter had no idea! But I love the thoughts from the Brazilian thinker and the idea of referring to the universe as 'you'. What a beautiful way of being and seeing! Thank you so much for your wonderful support!♥️
Wow! Anna, this was a brilliant newsletter and beautifully expressed in all ways! Your art, photography, and written words were a joy to read and see. I feel honored to be a subscriber and thank you for making my day smile. I look forward to seeing your next newsletter in my inbox :)
Oh Coco! That is the most lovely lovely comment. So many many thanks for reading. It’s so nice to share and know people like you enjoy it! Many many thanks ❤️
A brilliant post! Like you, I am a small person profoundly moved by the landscape. Your insights regarding awe are a lovely reminder about things that matter deeply to me - thank you for the inspiration!
Lovely post! I love feeling so small and insignificant in the presence of larger landscapes. The funny thing is, in my moment of awe and humility, I feel so connected to their largeness - an expansiveness beyond me. It’s great to see how you capture it all in your art!
I loved this, Anna! It's so healthy to look for the good side of things, and also that art is gorgeous. I love scale and often want to play with it more. Those photos are wonderful inspiration!
Your work is simply stunning - so much emotion in every image. I marvel at it, and wish I could do the same!! Also I just want to move to Scotland more than ever!!!!
Haha. Yes! I always get annoyed at the words ‘bad’ weather meaning beautiful rain and wind. For me bad weather is endless sunshine :) thanks so much for the lovely comment!
Your artwork is really stunning and does an great job of exhibiting both the feel of "small" and the feeling of "awe". The ocean has always created a similar feeling of small for me (in a good way) and only more recently mountains as I've experienced them in person. I resonated with so much of this post and really enjoyed hearing your perspective and how you're weaving it into your art.
Well I need to say straight away that I get my sense of awe in your illustrations and photos! When I see them on Instagram I always stop and soak in the wonder and the beauty that you've either created in a painting or captured through the lens of a camera. You might feel small but your creations are awe inspiring!
Wow, what a lovely post! I loved everything about this. I am actually quite tall and love being in the mountains to feel small! Your writing about awe was especially apt for me. I've just returned from a four day hike in a spectacular part of the world (Tasmania, Australia) and before I left I was feeling very lethargic and uninspired. I now feel so renewed and amazing after having that extended time in nature.
Bec! Hello and thank you so much. I’m so pleased you found some awe. I adore Tasmania. I did my PhD in Hobart and met my husband down there :) It is such a beautiful island - I’m so glad you’ve returned energised! ❤️
Oh that is amazing! What a beautiful place for both of those magical things! I could live in Hobart - going over the bridge from the airport felt like coming home x
yeah, when we lived there we had lots of visitors and I always used to feel so smug when they would leave and have to go back to normal life and we got to stay living in what is quite the paradise! I think we will probably end up back there one day. So nice to share it's magic with you. It's a treasure of a place that's for sure! x
Such an interesting and thoughtful piece of writing Anna, I often feel small too and often not very useful but I loved the way you have captured these in your photography and drawing
Your posts are, for me, like receiving a long letter from a deeply missed old friend who lives forever far away. The letters are thoughtful, kind, insightful, vulnerable ( but not cringy ) and can navigate in and around and at the uncomfortable edges of creative wonder in ways that speak to me. I value that so much. I so like looking at the light emerging over mountain and the running in the rain paintings. I also like the effort to capture the "gloaming" times of the day...a favorite time for me but one that is so elusive. 👏 👏 👏 I am so happy that I have 3 of your prints to look at on my wall. I will add one of the above when they become available...maybe even both because I would not know how to choose one over the other. I must require alot more room for my awareness of awe and wonder.
Per horizon - I once said, 30 years ago, to a painter I knew, that I was so drawn to the horizon and his response was " why? Nothing is happening there!". I felt so shamed, slammed and stupid. Just this morning I listened to a great Brazilian thinker about time and he said that when he was between the ages of 6 & 16 he sat at the edge of a body of water for hours, several times a week, looking at the horizon. This is my paraphrase - For him it was where the ineffable met the earth. It was where he could feel the universe. He said we should refer to the universe always as "you" and never as "it" and that this would deeply alter our relationship with this dynamically beautiful jewel of a planet and the heavens it rests within.
I felt so heard.
There is a way in which I also feel heard in your art. 🙏 🤲
Hi Nancy,
This is truly such a lovely comment to receive. I love to share my work and ideas with people and to know that you enjoy them so much is truly such a special thing for me to hear! That painter had no idea! But I love the thoughts from the Brazilian thinker and the idea of referring to the universe as 'you'. What a beautiful way of being and seeing! Thank you so much for your wonderful support!♥️
Wow! Anna, this was a brilliant newsletter and beautifully expressed in all ways! Your art, photography, and written words were a joy to read and see. I feel honored to be a subscriber and thank you for making my day smile. I look forward to seeing your next newsletter in my inbox :)
Oh Coco! That is the most lovely lovely comment. So many many thanks for reading. It’s so nice to share and know people like you enjoy it! Many many thanks ❤️
What a heart-warming, inspiring post!
Oh that's a bit lovely! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks very much Jane :)
I really resonated with this post 🙏🏾
Thanks so much. It’s really lovely to hear it resonated :)
A brilliant post! Like you, I am a small person profoundly moved by the landscape. Your insights regarding awe are a lovely reminder about things that matter deeply to me - thank you for the inspiration!
Oh that is such a lovely comment! So glad it inspired. And nice to know a fellow small person who loves the landscape! Thank you for writing!
Lovely post! I love feeling so small and insignificant in the presence of larger landscapes. The funny thing is, in my moment of awe and humility, I feel so connected to their largeness - an expansiveness beyond me. It’s great to see how you capture it all in your art!
Thanks so much Noemi! And that's such a lovely way to put it - "an expansiveness" beyond ourselves. I love that. Thank you! x
I loved this, Anna! It's so healthy to look for the good side of things, and also that art is gorgeous. I love scale and often want to play with it more. Those photos are wonderful inspiration!
Hi Jennifer! So nice to see you on here and thank you so much. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. Happy New Year! xx
This such a beutiful piece of writing, thank you so much. I feel the awe quite frequently, and it was very interesting to read your take on awe.
Thank you! So lovely to know you enjoyed it and to share that lovely feeling of awe! :)
You'll love the book Enchantment by Katherine May, I've just finished it. So beautiful! Love this post Anna x
Thanks so very much Maris! I read wintering and really liked that - I’ll have to go find her newer one! Thanks for the tip xx
Your work is simply stunning - so much emotion in every image. I marvel at it, and wish I could do the same!! Also I just want to move to Scotland more than ever!!!!
Oh you’re so very lovely! Thanks so much. And yeah I do love Scotland! Glad we moved here :) it’s def far from perfect though! ❤️
Yeah, my husband used to live in Glasgow and he does not miss the 100 types of rain🤣 but the landscape is incredible.
ha. yes, this is true! I think Glasgow is a lot wetter than Edinburgh where we are... :)
Your paintings and photographs of awe are so beautiful. I love that your response to “bad” weather is to see wonder
Haha. Yes! I always get annoyed at the words ‘bad’ weather meaning beautiful rain and wind. For me bad weather is endless sunshine :) thanks so much for the lovely comment!
Oh I love this Anna!!!!
Thanks so much Millie! Xxx
Your artwork is really stunning and does an great job of exhibiting both the feel of "small" and the feeling of "awe". The ocean has always created a similar feeling of small for me (in a good way) and only more recently mountains as I've experienced them in person. I resonated with so much of this post and really enjoyed hearing your perspective and how you're weaving it into your art.
Ahh that’s so very lovely to read. Thanks so much Aimee. And you’re right about the ocean! Such a powerful wild force.
Well I need to say straight away that I get my sense of awe in your illustrations and photos! When I see them on Instagram I always stop and soak in the wonder and the beauty that you've either created in a painting or captured through the lens of a camera. You might feel small but your creations are awe inspiring!
Jess! This is so very lovely, you made me very happy - such a nice thought that you feel some awe and are inspired. Thanks so much for reading!
Wow, what a lovely post! I loved everything about this. I am actually quite tall and love being in the mountains to feel small! Your writing about awe was especially apt for me. I've just returned from a four day hike in a spectacular part of the world (Tasmania, Australia) and before I left I was feeling very lethargic and uninspired. I now feel so renewed and amazing after having that extended time in nature.
Bec! Hello and thank you so much. I’m so pleased you found some awe. I adore Tasmania. I did my PhD in Hobart and met my husband down there :) It is such a beautiful island - I’m so glad you’ve returned energised! ❤️
Oh that is amazing! What a beautiful place for both of those magical things! I could live in Hobart - going over the bridge from the airport felt like coming home x
yeah, when we lived there we had lots of visitors and I always used to feel so smug when they would leave and have to go back to normal life and we got to stay living in what is quite the paradise! I think we will probably end up back there one day. So nice to share it's magic with you. It's a treasure of a place that's for sure! x
Such an interesting and thoughtful piece of writing Anna, I often feel small too and often not very useful but I loved the way you have captured these in your photography and drawing
Hi Mary! You are incredibly useful but I’m sure you know the small feeling. I guess we prob all do in some way! Thanks for reading xx