tatau pounamu - enduring peace

The fourth and final artwork for "Reflections of Italy" Exhibition that opens at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts in  Wellington on Monday.

Title: tatau pounamu (enduring peace)

Artist: Sophia Elise

Media: Acrylic on torso. This is freestanding sculpture. Dots are handpainted - greens and white.

Torso is textured.

For Sale: $1500 contact sophia@sophiaelise.co.nz

 

This torso was actually started over a year ago for the "Legato" exhibition in Cassino, Italy.  After spending days preparing the torso, texturing it, painting the background, repainting it etc the idea I had started with didn't work for this torso. He was left behind - sitting in the corner of my studio - waiting for inspiration to come. 

 

Once we started planning "Reflections of Italy"- which is being held exactly a year after  "Legato" - some very different ideas came to me.  The ideas were inspired by our time spent in Italy.  However, once again after many practice runs with designs, those ideas didn't make it to the torso. 

 

Then two weeks ago - it came to me in a sudden flash of inspiration and I just "Knew"what it was going to be. I spent a day designing the outlines of what I wanted on the front and back getting it ready for the next stage.  Then came some more thinking time - planning the colours and design of the dots inside - more test runs - and finally paint to torso.

 

This torso was always designed to look like greenstone - it is symbolic of the tears on greenstone at the Army Museum which is the wall of remembrance for our fallen soldiers and returned servicemen. I think that the symbolism combined with the title really says it all - we want and need enduring peace  ...... 

The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world. – Marianne Williamson

The Art of Peace is based on Four Great Virtues: Bravery, Wisdom, Love, and Friendship -Morihei Ueshiba

"To be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars; to be satisfied with your possessions, but not contented with yourself until you have made the best of them; to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness, and to fear nothing except cowardice; to be governed by your admirations rather than by your disgusts; to covet nothing that is your neighbor's except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners; to think seldom of your enemies and often of your friends... these are little guideposts on the footpath to peace." - Henry Van Dyke

waikanetanga - peace/tranquility

Title: waikanaetanga (peace/tranqulity)

Artist: Sophia Elise

Media: Acrylic on torso - has flat back so can be hung on the wall. Dots are hand painted - dark blue, turquoise and metallic silver.

FOR SALE: $POA contact sophia@sophiaelise.co.nz

PLEASE NOTE: This artwork background is pthalo green and blue which doesn't show true in photos - it actually has more of a green/teal look to it in real life.

This artwork will be exhibited at "Reflections of Italy"in Wellington opening May 16th.  This is a continuation of a series I started for the  "Legato" exhibition in Italy last year. 

This represents the ripple effect of peace - that peace starts within each and everyone of us and radiates outwards with all those that we come in contact with.  We are all responsible for creating a culture of peace and if everyone of us has that as a focus for our lives and truly embraces it then we will create a community that is peaceful - a country that is peaceful and so on ....

You and I posses within ourselves, at every moment of our lives, under all circumstances, the power to transform the quality of our lives. - Werner Erhad

We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them. - Buddha quotes



connissione - connections

Title: connissione (connections)

Artist: Sophia Elise

Media: Acrylic on torso - has flat back so can be hung on the wall. Dots are hand painted - dark blue, turquoise and metallic silver.

FOR SALE: $POA contact sophia@sophiaelise.co.nz

PLEASE NOTE: This artwork background is pthalo green and blue which doesn't show true in photos - it actually has more of a green/teal look to it in real life.

 

This is the third in a series that I'm doing for the "Reflections of Italy" Exhibition which opens in Wellington May 16th.

 

This one is all about connections - the connections we make throughout our lives that leave lasting impressions on us - whether they are people, places, emotions, events, countries .... There are many threads that bind us together across oceans, across time and across generations.

 

Every time you make a connection with someone remember this ...

"In life you can never be too kind or too fair; everyone you meet is carrying a heavy load. When you go through your day expressing kindness and courtesy to all you meet, you leave behind a feeling of warmth and good cheer, and you help alleviate the burdens everyone is struggling with" - Brian Tracy

 

"You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world's happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime."     Dale Carnegie

 

And lastly remember this ....

"We don't accomplish anything in this world alone ... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something."-Sandra Day O'Connor

Forevermore

Title: Forevermore

Artist: Sophia Elise

Media: Acrylic on Torso - flat back so can be hung on a wall

Dots are all hand painted in black, white and grey

FOR SALE: $POA contact sophia@sophiaelise.co.nz

This torso will be exhibited at "Reflections of Italy" at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington - opening night Monday 16th May 5:30pm.

I'm really looking forward to meeting up with fellow NZ Art Guild members and the friends I made in Italy last year when we all exhibited together at the "Legato" Exhibition.

The title if this artwork actually came to me while I was painting it - although I wasn't convinced that that was the right title for it at the time it is the one that keeps coming back to me again and again.  The theme and emotions are a continuation of the series that I exhibited in Italy. 

This is about eternal love - love lost -  but love that still lives on forever ..... It's a really positive piece - this women has incredible strength - and amazing gratitude for having experienced such a wonderful love in her life despite having it taken from her.  She enjoys the memories that are with her forevermore as her life goes on and she grows ....

Initially the grief is overwhelming .... How does she live without him?  Please take a minute to listen to this song and lyrics  http://www.ladyjayes.com/howdoilive.html

Then the realisation that the love will live on .... please stop for a minute to listen to this song and lyrics  http://www.ladyjayes.com/heartgoon.html

I feel a huge sense of peace with this artwork - It is hanging on my wall giving out such wonderful energy - I hope that you enjoy it too and the story behind it.