I received some feedback that the AEM for November 21 looked like a vagina with the face of a baby being born, and I was asked if that was what I’d had in mind.
The answer: not consciously, no. As I drew, the idea of water and breaking through the surface was present. Water represents emotion. I love swimming underwater and coming up through the depths. Emotional discovery is similar.
Upon further consideration, it is quite possible some deep part of myself was thinking about childbirth, since it has been on my mind. So perhaps that influenced what I drew. Certainly the theme of emerging is prominent in my life these days as I consider what’s next. What’s also interesting is how others might interpret what I made. Someone commented that other perspectives could be the face looking down on the viewer, or even as one stepping through toward the viewer.
I like that I created a piece that brought such interesting and varied responses!
that picture DID look a little like a vagina but to me it looked like a woman being born out of it ,an adult woman.
it is nice to hear your career musings, offers, and choices. about 4 years ago after a very successful career in the arts (my exclusive metier for about 20 years), i began wondering if i was giving enough to the world. i wanted to use up every last talent i was given and to use parts of my mind i had never accessed.
i began to look into medicine. decided not to go for my MD because with 2 kids in college, accumulating about $200K MORE debt seemed very inadvisable, and i didn’t know if i could live with very little income for as long (6–8 years) as it would take to get the MD (though MD feels like a perfect for me and probably always will, now that i’ve given myself permission to feel it). so i went into medical imaging. after prerequisites, school, an entry-level job for the last 6 months that has been hell on wheels, just awful, draining, terrifying, and in NONE of the good ways (hostile workplace), i have received a transfer to an EXCELLENT facility with fantastic people. i worked hard to change this and i received my wish. i think and intend that this transfer will renew my love of medicine.
i still am actively working in the arts, though more part-time-ishly than before. i hope the abbreviated tale of this transition can be of some service to you, and i wish you the best in what’s ahead for you. the only part of my life i’m discontented with, honestly, is lack of exercise b/c of too many commitments and perhaps fear. . .and i know compared to the Mt. Olympus i scaled, checking out various careers and making this huge change, that changing my exercise habits for the better will not be that difficult.
i DO feel like i’ve given birth to myself. i guess that’s my whole point, that your painting might seem to express the same about you?
every good wish to you; thanks for the blog.
kcd
I can see that. My first thought was that it looked like a woman (maybe an older woman) emerging from water, like the Lady of the Lake or something. That may be b/c of the colors.