Many years ago, I don’t even remember when, Connemoira’s mother gave me an oil pastel rendering of an angel. “God told me to give you this,” she said.
She was always telling me what God wanted me to do and I was a bit of a wimp. If people wanted to tell me what God wanted me to do I generally listened. Then I usually did what I was going to do anyway. Mrs. Seagrass was very very good to many many people and I will never be able to repay her for all her kindnesses to me when I was growing up. But I wasn’t into angels at the time and so I stored the pastel in the closet. In the back of the closet. Did I feel guilty? Oh yeah. Especially as the years went by and one by one the Seagrasses have disappeared. Some have died and others still dwell down by the river. Much quieter than before.
But the last couple of months I haven’t had any power over what will be. I can see it coming but nothing I can do will stop it. This I know. And so I’ve been rearranging the paintings and furniture like a teenager in a B horror flick desperately trying to outsmart the Devil himself and, in the process, I created a space perfect for a medieval angel.
It is lovely isn’t it? Even if you don’t believe in angels, it’s a fine piece of work. Shame on me for hiding it in a closet.
Saying nothing in particular 
Always wait for the right moment.
At the time she gave it to me, I really didn’t want a lot of religious art around but when I look at it now, it’s just a beautiful piece of art.
It’s a beautiful piece, definitely worth a place in your house.
And I think I have just the right spot! I’ll post when I have it all set up.
Awesome! Looking forward to seeing it.
Me too – I’m moving awfully slow these days!
It’s beautiful, whatever’s coming xx
Thank you! I’m happy to share it with the world.
Its a beautiful painting and it’s amazing that these things come in and out of our lives!
It was obviously waiting for the right moment to emerge and shine !
The fact it’s in good enough condition to hang proves it was given to you for a reason 💜💜💜
Both Nancy and her daughter, Connemoira, were amazing artists. Nancy was classically trained by the nuns (obviously) but Connemoira could have been one of the greats. I used to have a lot of C’art – I was worried that in her mental condition she’d destroy it but she got angry with me and took a lot of it back (and did destroy it). I consider the pieces I managed to save as sacred.
Its difficult to deal with someone who has mental problems and it also heartbreaking when they are destructive too 💜💜
It’s tough when both the mother and daughter are gifted artists – they can’t help but be in competition with each other. That whole family seems almost mythological to me … they were never quite here and now they are gone.Perhaps someday I’ll figure out how to write about them!
Yes a lot of talented people are plagued with this kind of failing 💜💜
It is beautiful. Although I’m not religious, I do appreciate religious art which tells stories and expresses emotions. The first time I saw La Pieta in St Peters Basilica, I was struck dumb.
It’s taken me a long time to pull that pastel from the closet and look at it objectively. I really haven’t redecorated this house since we moved in – over 30 years ago – so it is definitely time,
The fact you kept this angel for so many years tells me it made an impact on you. You didn’t get rid of it. Maybe it wasn’t the right time in your life for you to display it before and now it is. I’m not sure if your comments relate to the general state of the world or if it’s more personal but we solder on in life and eventually all challenges pass.
I was a little afraid of Nancy (Mrs. Seagrass). She was a tall woman with a mass of red hair and speckled green eyes – I didn’t understand (still probably don’t) the hatred her daughter often had for her.I’m dealing with a lot of changes that won’t probably work out pleasantly but trying to go day by day.
A sad family situation. I’m sorry to know about these changes. Sending you love and light.
Many years ago I was reading the words of some famous old painter and he or she said, I partly judge an artist by how well they paint the folds of a cloth. That line has stuck with me for all these years and I always check the folds of cloth on any painting that has folds of cloth and it is true some folds are better than others and I don’t just mean on a realistic level, but rather the ebb and flow of the painting. How well-rendered cloth brings a poetry to the imagery. Love. Duke
That’s what I noticed too. All Nancy’s angels and saints had similar faces (and expressions) but she had a gift for color and composition. She gave away most of her art to the Catholic Church – which they sold, I’m sure. Who knows why she gave me this particular angel.
Some might say the Angel came out at the right moment…
(Let me just hope what you see coming is… bearable?)
Hugs