dichotomies and the sanctuary of blue mind
sanctuary in blue (beaches #17)
2019
cloth, dye, thread
Thank you for joining me here for this quiet little conversation, taking a moment to be with these thoughts, words and images.
I have this idea that the sea is calming to humans because of it's stillness. But when I think deeper about it the sea is always in motion: high tide easing it's way back to low tide then building, building to high tide again; more often than not the sea dramatically in motion in the form of storms. It's kind of a cool dichotomy that so many of us find the sea to be a soothing force at the same time as it is one of the most powerful forces on the planet.
Research by Dr. Wallace Nicholls shows how dramatically our physiology is affected by being in, on, under and near bodies of water, even ones as small as your bathtub - he calls the effect blue mind. Even as I absorb the scientific research, I'm learning to let go of the urge to have intellectual explanations for the mysteries of life and instead choosing to listen to the body whispering to me to simply accept the gifts and benefits of synergies operating at the cellular level.
The paintings sanctuary in blue (beaches #17) and blue mind contemplation (beaches #16) were informed by Dr. Nichols and his mission to inspire people to interact with water.
sanctuary in blue (beaches #17) in situ
And as always, I want to express my gratitude to be living and working on the ancestral & unceded territories of the hən̓̓qəmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples.I honour the incredible depths of grace, courage and perseverance of Indigenous Peoples, and look to them as an example as they find their voices amidst the noise and obfuscation of colonization.
until next time,
Mardell