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Ink Stains. 12x12". ink on paper. 
Copyright 2014. Cristy Dunn.

Making Art is my way of coping when I am faced with difficulty. Somehow, I learned at a very young age that through the act of creation, one can feel the presence of a God so infinitely wise and powerful that our human concerns seem inconsequential. I remember the first time this happened for me, and coincidentally, I was drawing a bird then, too, a tufted tit-mouse, still my favorite. 

This, however, is a hummingbird. The tradition in the Andes of South America teaches that the hummingbird is  a symbol for resurrection. On cold nights, the tiny birds become lifeless and seem to die, but when the sun rises they miraculously come back to life! In our culture, hummingbirds symbolize living life to the fullest and making the most of every minute. Unless we are very fortunate, life will send us our share of troubles. These are the ink stains. We have to find a way to turn them into something more. The poem that follows is part of the painting: 

Ink Stains


Blue Black Stains have fallen on us
We will be forever changed
No more the pale, pristine, uncolored surface

In time, the Darkness will dissipate
broken by Rays of Light
magnified and brought into focus through our Tears
brought to order by our Prayers

Colors will find their way to the surface
They will transform the Blue Black Stain
and we will become the Vision of the Hummingbird

We will learn to fly forward and backward -to stop time
to kiss every flower and love life with every breath
We will no longer fear when our movement ceases at midnight
Quietly, peacefully, we will wait for the Resurrection of the Dawn
                                                                 -Cristy

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