ByShi

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Glasshouse Mountains

'Glasshouse Mountains'

Watercolour on Paper

Drawn from this photo of the Glasshouse Mountains on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Queensland, Australia, taken last December

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Sunset Giraffe

'Sunset Giraffe'

May 2012 by Shiloh Moore

10cm x 31cm Acrylic on Canvas

Friday, June 22, 2012

'Couple Expecting'

28cm x 36 cm Acrylic on Canvas

I've been imagining the love of a loving couple expecting a child and starting a family unit, and how precious that must be.

I was doodling with my pastels and drew this:

'Couple Expecting - original doodle'

Pastels on paper

I was drawn to the image so I then painted it on canvas. I drew the woman's breast and baby bump first, then surrounded by her loving arms, hugged by her partner's arms, then finished with their tilted caring heads. Looking at it, I can really feel the emotions of love and deep care in their embrace.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

'She Flies on the Wings of her Friends'

Mixed Media on Paper

Completed 18 May 2012

In gratitude to all my family and friends who lift me with their love, support, thoughts and prayers and help me fly.

Friday, May 11, 2012

ME Awareness Day

When in pain and exhaustion of an indescribable magnitude

It hurts too much to talk

But the comfort of your

Company is powerful.

May 12 is International ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) Awareness Day

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

'Learn To Choose Your Pain' and 'Do What Gives You Life'

'Do What Gives You Life' Scrabble letters 2012

‘Learn to Choose Your Pain’ and ‘Do What Gives You Life’

I’d like to share with you two phrases I have developed over years of living with Chronic Illness.

First is a phrase I coined when in my teens, for those of us living with chronic illness (but obviously not totally bedridden): ‘Learn to Choose Your Pain.’

With chronic illness, Fibromyalgia and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, you are always in pain. You are never pain free. To keep your spirit surviving, it helps to prioritise what you spend your precious energy on. Learn to Choose Your Pain.

'Learn To Choose Your Pain' Scrabble letters 2012

I started thinking about this before I was diagnosed, when I was 14 and struggling to attend school having been unable to play my flute for months. I came across a strange dilemma: I had a ‘good’ day, when I had a rare glimpse of precious energy after school one day. I found myself wondering, should I be a ‘good’ girl and do my homework, or could I spend this energy playing my beloved flute? Is ‘I had a good day yesterday’ a valid excuse for not doing my homework yet again?!

After many more years of illness, I learned to prioritise. I learned that to keep your soul satisfied, sometimes you have to ‘choose your pain.’ Everything with this illness hurts, everything you do triggers a payout. So choose what you do to cause the pain, and here comes my second phrase: ‘Do What Gives You Life.’

Sometimes it’s worth getting in trouble for not doing homework, to spend that precious energy playing. Do what gives you life.

Sometimes it’s worth having a friend visit even though the house is a mess. If you have to choose between either seeing the friend or cleaning, do what gives you life.

Sometimes it’s worth doing some art/seeing a friend/going to a movie or concert/going on an outing in a wheelchair/seeing nature/insert something fulfilling for you, even though you know you will have a payout as a consequence. Sometimes it’s these highlights to life, the things to look forward to and to remember, that keep us going. Of course, pace yourself and don’t do something if the payout will be too extreme. But if you can, prioritise what you spend your energy on and choose to be in the inevitable pain for something that is worth it to you. Learn to Choose Your Pain, and Do What Gives You Life.

A healthy person can learn from this too. Within your busy schedule and list of commitments and responsibilities, learn to prioritise. Say ‘no’ to doing too many things that are draining, nurture your soul and Do What Gives You Life.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

'Rainbow Girl'

This girl came to me a few weeks ago and has been begging to be created. I did her bit by bit, a layer of pencil, and stuck two pieces of music manuscript in the background of the two left corners. Then a layer of acrylic skin tone paint on her face. Then I glued a layer of tissue paper over the whole piece. Once that was dry I painted the colour with watercolours. Then I outlined the picture with black pitt pens.

She brings me joy :)

And the initial scribble:

Monday, April 16, 2012

'Circle of Life'

This image has been bubbling in my mind for months. It has been begging to be created. I drew it with Pitt Pen while lying down, then worked on it with watercolours sitting up for short spurts, then resting in between. I imagined a curvaceous tree at the heart of a circle of life, home to a wise owl, a bird, a lizard, a spider with its web. Surrounded on the ground by flowers, a deer, butterflies and a dragonfly in the air, all being enjoyed by a little girl with pigtails on a swing. Innocence, life, beauty, joy, nature. Happiness.

If you like the Little Girl in 'Circle of Life' you may also like:

'Little Girl'

'Happy Birthday Balloon Girl' and

'Enjoy The Puddles'

Saturday, April 7, 2012

'Bodhi Leaf'

I was introduced to the Bodhi Leaf when I was volunteering for an Oxfam store years ago. So delicate and beautiful, I've been attracted to them ever since.

After googling 'Bodhi Leaves' according to 'Buddha Mind' website, Bodhi leaves are 'a symbol of peace, of Buddha's enlightenment and of the ultimate potential that lies within us all.'

Monday, April 2, 2012

'Portrait of a Model'

I was looking at faces of models in magazines and I came across one I was really drawn to, in 'Modern Hair and Beauty'. This was the model's 'before' shot on p22, photography by Ian Golding.