Solar Starburst, Yellow Dahlia

by Leslie Montana August 15, 2024

Solar Starburst, Yellow Dahlia

If I were describing a miracle, it could be that out-of-the-earth comes food. This came to mind as I harvested cucumbers from my vegetable garden yesterday. This miraculous sentiment extends to flowers, trees, and plants of all kinds. But flowers, my favorite since early childhood, are always top-of-mind. They provide a type of nourishment that is about joy, best described as joi de vivre. They model the glow we know as Love, something we all recognize and understand. A great vibe to be in, no matter our relationship status.

Above: Detail of Solar Starburst, Yellow Dahlia, watercolor on cold press paper, shown in progress.

Elements that activate

The sun (fire) and water elements are strongly present in this painting of a starburst yellow Dahlia. This complex piece is taking me deeper into my relationship with the elements, but ultimately its message is about how the sun activates and ignites us.

A long-awaited astronomical event called the solar maximum is currently active in our atmosphere. Did you know, space weather is now a thing? Scientists believe the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and flares, will peak in 2025. The data shows this activity is now at an all-time high. A powerful activation for all of us, like it or not.

Things we may or may not be aware of are pushing us to our limits, and bringing unprecedented change to our world. More importantly, however, is the spark of life within us is growing in magnitude.

In Art

Bright light makes for depth of shadow, and the shadows in this painting are of mesmerizing interest to me now. Colorful, almost psychedelic, worlds within worlds reveal themselves with each painting session. Blooming radially and symmetrically, this Dahlia’s petals spring from its seemingly infinite center. Its geometric configuration is poised to balance any incoherence it encounters.

Nourishment on every level

Every life form in nature has unique wisdom, a physically grounded spiritual intelligence that can inform and influence our own. Flowers are the bringers of a much needed type of nourishment to our world. Part of my work is to help us remember and bring that back in.

What moves you?

The spark of life animates through us urging us to follow our knowing. But sometimes we take the route of distraction, following those leads instead. Whoops, wrong turn.

Life can be tricky with trips down a rabbit hole or two. But as we climb back up and re-evaluate, we realize things. Things like, maybe some Dahlias would be good in there. Glean from, compost, and re-purpose. I’m doing that and harvested miracle veg yesterday.

More stillness, please.

Painting helps me stay connected with who and what I love. As I incorporate more of the stillness into my life, distractions play less of a part. Some say my paintings help them with that. Art should do that.

Either way, the stillness anchors in the positive, and is always there for us. So be sure to have at least one foot firmly planted in that region of reality. It’s full of life and beauty that will support you on your path.

— Leslie

Added to this blogpost in late October 2024, you can watch a video of Solar Starburst, Yellow Dahlia.

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Exquisite Paintings on the Nature of Flowers is a body of work based on a sophisticated visual analysis of Nature's frequencies = LOVE. This long-standing body of work, ongoing and now in phase two, began in the early 1990s and is the culmination of a lifetime quest—a sacred journey into the heart of Nature, Beauty, and healing the myth of separation.