Flowers

That morning in Rockport, Massachusetts, a bunch of sunflowers began to slowly turn towards the art display in a window gallery, like interested art lovers.

 Copyright  © 2014 Nancy Barra,"Sunflowers and art".

                               

In South America, Chile, a regal sunflower enjoys the 360 days of sun in Montegrande, nested in the Valley Elqui, while the grapes began to ripe in the background.

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Barra, "Sunflower Radiance".

Around the port of Coquimbo in the north of Chile, hibiscus flowers bloom next to the ocean all year round, witnessing the dramatic landscape of coastal mountains that surrounds the multicolor array of fishing boats. I specially like the boat under the hibiscus shrub, named "El Regalón II" ("The Spoiled One II"), which expresses the love of the Coquimbo fishermen towards their tools of survival.

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Barra, "Hibiscus by the sea".

These cactus flowers witness the Pacific ocean movement and enjoy the morning  breeze in Cachagua, Chile.

Copyright ©2011 Nancy Barra, "Coastal cactus flowers".

According to legend, in the "Heart Garden" ("Jardin del Corazón") of the coastal town of La Serena, Chile, when she achieved total piece of mind, a red hibiscus grew on the side of her head as a sign of splendor, harmony and beauty.

Copyright ©2013 Nancy Barra, "The magic of meditation".

Silence

The sounds of Nature help us to explore our silence. If we silently get into the sound and movement of the water, into the breeze that surrounds us and the warmth of the sun on the rocks that sustain us, then, we began to feel connected to all what exists.

Copyright @ 2010 Nancy Barra,"Pensive", pastel on La Carte paper, 16" x 12", from:Nancy Barra Contemporary Art/Arte Contemporáneo

Instinctively, he knew that the right approach was to follow the flow of life as the waves do in the ocean. After all, we are vessels made of 70% water and we came from water to life, so the insight he got that day looking at the ocean made so much sense to him!

Copyright @ 20010 Nancy Barra,"Reflection in Blue", oil on canvas, 24" x 18", from: Nancy Barra Contemporary Art/Arte Contemporáneo

On that winter day, she felt stuck in life until she sat down on the rock and looked to the line where sky and water meet. Then, she did not care the cold breeze against her face because the openness of nature invaded her and she regained calm and peace again.  

Copyright @ 2010 Nancy Barra"Coastal Breeze", egg tempera on wood panel, 

10" x 8" from:Nancy BarraContemporary Art/Arte Contemporáneo

Anticipation

While waiting for something, she also anticipates possible scenarios, which she knew may never happen. However, in doing it, she has the opportunity to dream with her open eyes towards a limitless horizon.

Copyright @ 2009 Nancy Barra, "Anticipation" Oil on canvas,
22" x 28", from: Nancy Barra Contemporary Art/Arte Contemporáneo

She is disappointed but she can also remember and relive the beauty of the past in the present, overcoming the space-time dimensions. She remembers the laughter of the past, feels the loss of the present and dreams the possibilities of the future. Suddenly, she realizes that past, present and future are just one moment, experienced by us in a very slow motion.

Copyright @ 2009 Nancy Barra,"Remembering", Oil on canvas 30" x 24", from:Nancy Barra Contemporary Art/Arte Contemporáneo

She came to life from water, sand, wind and sun and lie dormant on the warm rock wrapped in a shall. She seems so relaxed and I wonder if she will wake up or return to her original state when the high tide will reach her late in the evening.

Copyright @ 2009 Nancy Barra,"Ocean Rebirth", oil on canvas, 

28" x 24", from:Nancy Barra Contemporary Art/Arte Contemporáneo

The fisherman arrived early in the morning and left late in the evening with no fish to take home. He will be back tomorrow because he loves to catch a fish but more than anything else he enjoys to be still in front of the ocean, waiting for the unexpected to happen.

Copyright @ 2012 Nancy Barra,"No luck today", pastel over watercolor on La Carte paper,12" x 16", from: Nancy Barra Contemporary Art/Arte Contemporáneo

Animals

The deer wondered by the ocean rocks and seems very much at ease with the sound of the waves. He stood for a long time looking at the ocean before hiding in the woods again.

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Barra, "A deer by the ocean".

If a dog and a cat can be friends and express love for each other, why cannot we imitate them?

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Barra, "Canine and feline love".

Ella Fitzgerald sang: "Birds do it, bees do it, even educated flees do it. Let's do it. Let's fall in love". At the edge of a yoga mat, two grasshoppers do the most enjoyable and glorious relaxation. 

Copyright © 2014 Natalia Zuman, "Love at the edge of the mat".

The seagull seems to appreciate the beauty of nature by standing still in a rock at sunset. It does not seems to have fear, insecurity and/or abandonment issues but has the capacity to be at unison with its surrounding. Why is this so difficult for us?

   

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Barra, "The seagull", pastel over watercolor on paper, 10" x 7", from:Nancy Barra Contemporary Art/Arte Contemporáneo

Two basset hound dogs at different stages in their lives. The one on the left is young and perky and wants to play and have fun. The one on the right is old and just  happy to enjoy its somnolence. Well, c'est la vie!

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Barra, "Basset Hounds: Nelson and Pippo".

One of the pigeons seems to say to the other one: "Don't play indifferent with me now, after all these years!"  

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Barra, "Pidgeon indifference".

This little kitten was just adopted from an animal shelter and these two young women gave it a bath and a name: "Mini-Love". They are spoiling it with tenderness. There is so much love around in small gestures such as this that it should make us hopeful!

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Barra, "Mini-Love and his two care takers".

Interactions

On a sunny summer afternoon I observed a couple by the ocean discussing something for a long time. After a while, he was unresponsive to her talking and continued looking at the waves. Finally, she lowered her head in defeat and remained silent. I imagined a break up between them and I could feel the sadness of that moment in contradiction with the beauty of the place and the waves breaking up, breaking up all the time. 

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Barra, "Ocean Break up", pastel on La Carte paper, 12" x 15.7",from:Nancy Barra Contemporary Art/Arte Contemporáneo

The view in front of them was amazing and they remained silent, absorbing it all. The unique pyramid shape of the mountains in the Elqui Valley, north of Chile, takes many variations of colors as the sunset takes place. In the middle of the narrow valley surrounded by these tall mountains, grape vines are nested and nourished by the daily sun, river water and rich soil. The story goes that the kundalini energy of the planet moved from Tibet to this valley (which shares the same latitude as Lhasa), where it finally decided to rest. Be this true or not, the high content of quartz in these pyramidal mountains, which protects this magical valley, keeps you elated and energized and you can feel the grandiose presence of Mother Earth in every inch of your being. 

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Barra, "The Elqui Pyramids", oil on canvas, 29" x 22", from:Nancy Barra Contemporary Art/Arte Contemporáneo