Dragonfly wings are fascinating to cultures around the world, with people attributing both positive and negative connotations to their appearance. Me, I’m just fascinated by the structure of the wings, and the iridescent colors that they create. Thanks to the internet, I was able to go down a rabbit hole about dragonfly wings. Here is what I learned.
Herald. Monoprint collage with cyanotypes and vintage maps. 24 x 36in image size (36 x 47in framed), $900 ($1,300 framed).
Dragonflies are ancient
Large ancestors of dragonflies existed 325 million years ago, making them older than dinosaurs. These precursors of our much smaller modern-day insects had up to a 27-inch wingspan, wider than my current desktop screen. Today, dragonflies live on every continent except Antarctica and in many different climates. Dragonflies are considered harbingers of stress in ecosystems.
Business gurus and motivational speakers encourage people to adopt a word as a guide for their intentions for the New Year. A bit less specific than a resolution. My word for 2019 is peaceful.
Detail of my latest monoprint collage…which makes me feel peaceful.
When I first decided to write this blog, I worried I would sound like an annoying middle-class person who has the luxury of working for myself. Certainly there are innumerable products and services that one can obtain in their quest for peace, but are they necessary? I challenged myself to come up with a few things that anyone can do to seek peace that cost nothing. Here are some suggestions:
Consider your posture We spend our lives hunched — over computers or phones or books or worktables. By engaging your core muscles, sitting up straight and relaxing your shoulders, you open up your chest. This gives your lungs more opportunity to open, you become taller and may feel more supported.
Think about your breathing Is your breath shallow — especially when you are sitting down (and might be hunched over?) Take a moment to breathe deeply, imagining your lungs filling completely and then emptying fully. You can do this at any time without anyone knowing. Try it during your evening commute or a stressful meeting.
Hit unsubscribe I’m assuming if you are reading this that you have some internet connectivity and probably an email address. There are a myriad of things to worry about in our world, and many of them have organizations that will email you…incessantly. Be honest with yourself — how many of these email messages do you actually read? You can still care about issues without having daily doses of hysteria-pitched text thrown into your day.
Choose when to engage Consider taking unnecessary notifications off your phone, and making use of special VIP lists for email you can’t afford to miss. Decide when you will read or listen to news. Do it at a time when you can give the world happenings your full attention. If it is in the background, why not put on some music or an audio book instead?
Why is being peaceful important to me…and to you?
When I don’t feel peaceful — when my mind is filled with anxiety — I make terrible art. And then I feel discouraged, and more anxious, creating a vicious cycle. Being peaceful isn’t just for people who make creative work all day. Peaceful drivers make for safer streets. Peaceful teachers have more patience. Perhaps peaceful legislators will find ways to work together. The possibilities are endless.
What is your word for 2019? Might I suggest peaceful?
