"R" is for Repressed Memories

"Repressed Memories" ©Mary Montague Sikes

The letter "R" was especially difficult for Farrah and me. I went through many different words while deciding what would work best for today's painting. I considered and discarded restoration, resolution, realistic, and many other possibilities. Eventually, I settled on "repressed memories" which is a theme difficult to convey in a painting. The darkest part of the story of Farrah Ferand, the heroine of Evening of the Dragonfly, is her journey to deal with repressed memories. Therefore, this is the darkest painting thus far in the series created for her one-person exhibition.

"Repressed Memories" features Robert Doak intense watercolors on canvas. It is 16 x 20 inches.

"J" is for Journey - A to Z Challenge

"Journey of the Mind and Spirit" ©Mary Montague Sikes

Journey is an important word for Farrah Ferand, the heroine in Evening of the Dragonfly. Ever since the tragic death of her mother, many of Farrah's memories have been locked away inside her. But sometimes memories unveil themselves in hidden ways. Sometimes they appear in dreams. They become journeys of mind and spirit. The art exhibition for which Farrah is preparing is starting a revelation for her. Deep inside her mind, repressed memories are  revealed. Painting about these memories is therapeutic for her.

Today's painting, "Journey of the Mind and Spirit", 24" x 18", can be interpreted in several ways.  The interpretation might be different if colors are intensified or changed.

Do you recall your dreams? Do you write about them or paint them?


For those of you who have just joined this blog journey:

Evening of the Dragonfly is a novel set in the 1980s, a time less complicated than today. Farrah Ferand has a high school art teaching job in a small Virginia town. She meets Dirk Lawrence, a businessman from the city, who takes an interest in her and in her painting and is helping her build a studio over the garage in her rented home. Farrah is thrilled to have the studio because she has a one-person art exhibition scheduled. As she works on new paintings, Farrah realizes things about herself, her relationships, and the tragic loss of her mother. We encounter some of her realizations as new paintings and parts of painting are unveiled each day during the A to Z Challenge. My book is available in trade paperback and as an e-book.

"C" is for Color - A to Z Challenge

Farrah Ferand, the heroine of Evening of the Dragonfly, is a troubled young woman. Her mother died in a way she doesn't understand, so she has repressed the memories of that part of her life. As an artist, she has a special way to cope. She is working with color to create her first one-person art show.

"Color and Beauty" ©Mary Montague Sikes

Color is exciting and therapeutic. This painting for Farrah's show is filled with bright color. The Golden liquid Quinacridone red acrylic paint in the middle section of the second painting is strong and might make some changes necessary in yesterday's portion of the painting. It will be interesting to see how this piece turns out.

Follow Farrah as she develops a group of paintings for her show and for the A to Z Challenge