The Quest that Drove My Artistry for Five Decades Reveals a Soul Sister on the Other Side.

I still feel her in the garden as I paint. When Mom was diagnosed with cancer, I found refuge painting in the garden. Not just any garden, this one under the tall pine trees was special, created by my friend’s mother before she passed with cancer.

My memory is still vivid — quietly matching my colors in dappled sunlight radiant with blooming azaelias, iris, and fragrant boxwoods. Absorbed in the colors, I felt a bright spark when a tiny blonde child emerged in the light. My friend’s youngest daughter lifted my spirits — and I found resilience and strength to help Dad care for Mom.

Garden Sanctuary

I never imagined that day would pivot my artistry fifty years later. Did I take note of the mother-daughter symbolism? Did I dream of interpreting gardens, art, and life as an expression of my artistry? Not ever.

After my mother passed ~ nearly 40 years ago ~ I still feel her in the garden as I paint.

Two Sisters

‘Who is the other sister?’

If you were in the audience at one of my lively art & garden talks, we’d begin with this quest.

I would point to the colorful abstract woodlands painting with fractured winter branches against a sparkling sky, and I would ask you ~ ‘who is the sister?’ Why is this painting titled Two Sisters?

Decades have passed since I painted Two Sisters. The imagery reappeared repeatedly in my studio: painted textiles, mixed media paintings, always asking the same question, ‘who is the sister?’

Two Sisters linen textile

Answering the Quest of Two Lifetimes

This weekend I looked again for the hundreth time. As my attention shifted — from the fractured treetops — and I settled into the vibrant meadow tucked beside the pond. The vison in the painting and view outside my studio merged in a heartbeat, as our mother-daughter legacy came into focus.

I’ve been so focused on what is fractured and dead, I couldn’t see the vibrant meadow of life tucked into my own emotions. The pond within represents our inner light — all the color wavelengths of light flowing through our chakras!

Pauline Fagan 1947 - 1989

Pauline Fagan was a champion for wellness and creativity. She taught me to garden, to paint, to play piano, to work with textiles and design home decor. And through the veil she’s continued reaching out to me, always keeping her committment to our divine sisterhood. (We even look like twins!)

Two Sisters silk scarf

Thumbnail sketches

Pauline came through dreams and sketches in my journal. At the time, I didn’t know how to interact with her. I didn’t know that it was even possible! Slowly I absorbed a kind of patience I didn’t know I had.

I began deciphering symbolism in my paintings, garden, and dreams — a kind of language between us. Not entirely private, yet uniquely meaningful. The kind of conversation most mother-daughter relationships enjoy. Only this one built a bridge across lifetimes.

Two Sisters on a Mission

My vision of reality expanded to see body and spirit as part of earth’s garden. And to recognize mom as my soul sister — and accept Two Sisters on a Mission as our shared artistry for this moment in time.

These are traumatic times. Global transformation is underway. My women friends speak openly about change, challenge, and new pathways. Mothers, daughters, granddaughters, we feel it.

I have seen this in my paintings; The Crossing, At the Meadow Crossing, the Efflorescence Pathway. Symbolism manifested in my artwork, without specific intent to design a preordained composition or meaning — only to paint, to express what my emotions in the present moment feel must be said. I will write about these in the coming weeks and months.

I will share the wisdom of earth’s garden and how you may wish to explore interpreting your own efflorescence pathway forward.

Textile Art