​Art Adventures - by Patricia Banks©
Published October 2018 in Nanaimo Magazine and Voyager Magazine

​“Every moment is a fresh beginning.” This quote by T.S. Eliot gave me pause to think when recently presented with a series of difficult choices. I love the immediacy of it. It forces one to become present, to exist in the importance of – “every moment.” It is both inspirational and encouraging at the same time.

When I am living in the present moment, the “Now”, as Eckert Tolle refers to it, I feel at one with the universe and at peace with eternity. It is a very good place to be at any time, but especially when dreaming big and planning new paintings. This mental state nurtures creativity and supports the journey of the soul.

Expressing the joy, wonder, and majesty of nature in my paintings is the journey of my soul. My passion is ignited by the spectrum of colours, the amazing variety of atmospheric moods, the shapes and forms of the landscape, the intricacy and delicacy, the strength and power of nature. When I am present in every moment, this passion flows through me without restriction to those who are open to comprehending the miracles of every moment on this planet. Life is an infinity of fresh beginnings. May you find peace and new beginnings too.

​One of the charms of painting outdoors is the delightful sound of various birds, singing and chirping, and going about their usual business. Of course, if you want to hear the birds, it does help if you stay quiet and don’t move around too quickly, so you don’t disturb them. You can tell a lot about what is happening in the forest if you listen to the birds.

When animal predators are around, birds will suddenly be very quiet. At other times, for example, if an owl is present, many birds will all-at-once start squawking very loudly. They are warning all the other birds to take heed and of course, they are attempting to discourage the owl from harming them. Recently while I was painting in a lovely wooded area, I was visited by a little wren. Initially, I could hear it chirping and moving around in the tree branches above my head, but I couldn’t see it at first. As I continued to paint, it flew down onto a moss-covered stump right beside me.

It was a pretty little bird with a rusty beige head and back. It had a soft looking white chest with a white line above its eye. Its tail was swept upward. The little wren just sat on the thick green moss for a couple of minutes, looking at me in a quizzical way.

It would be fascinating to know what the little wren was thinking or to be able to communicate with it somehow. Perhaps I was, and I didn’t even know it! It is often the small gifts that give us the most pleasure in life. For a brief moment, a little wren visited me. “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir. Happy painting!