I live on a farm in the rolling hills of Piedmont South Carolina. From my backyard/barnyard, I paint stories of creation, disappointment, and survival. “Me and the Chickens” celebrate life every day. If y’all hear the sound of laughter and it’s not you, trust me, it’s just us chickens dancing and singing in the barnyard.
With paintings of guinea fowl and roosters, I capture their spirits, laughter and zest for life. I bring to you the reminder of kindness and the simple joys of life. The art speaks for itself, saying, “Folks, take pride in who you are, laugh, and be nice to one another, and above all else, ‘celebrate life’; past, present, and future. Now is what we’ve got.”
My art exudes energy with a celebration of life and the overwhelming condition of the human spirit. My art seemed to begin with the death of three relatives that were killed in ten-wheeler accident in 1995. Through the healing, I began to understand and feel the connection with the energy that provides life to all of us. I began to be aware that we are all connected here in the present time to something greater, connected to an external force from which we all come. My purpose for this world began to express itself through my art.
I felt directed to express this through my feeling and art. I knew I needed to create something about the importance of the energy of life; the meaning of life to us in this world, but I didn’t have a format for this expression until, one day, I say this little chicken was a continuation of the life force that is present within us all.
I began to paint chickens. Chickens with expressions that were startled, happy, and joyful. Things that were common threads, not just to the chickens, but also to all of us as human beings; part of the human existence and part of our reason for being here on Earth. This revelation came through my growth and understanding who we are and our connections to the divine force. In the process of painting chicken, I began to understand that laughter is a key ingredient to our growth and understand that laughter is a key ingredient to our growth and understanding of ourselves – who we are and our place with the divine connection of the universe.
When we laugh, we acknowledge in a joyful way that the energy of life is in all of us and in everything in which we are involved. It can be expressed in something as simple as a chicken smiling. I hope as you are enjoying my chickens and as the art occupies space in your household, that every time you look at it, I hope it resonates the same joy throughout your life. I hope it will make you smile, be happy, and celebrate life. I hope it will make you smile, be happy, and celebrate life as an acknowledgement of being one with the universe.
