In August 2022 I began this painting where the sky was full of water and the land parched. Little white boats were circling the lifted island and an opening into the shy revealed a passage to another land. I did not pray to learn the meaning of what I painted and feared it was death, I put the painting aside. 

  
Last month (January 2023) I looked again at this painting as my husband and I are well which dispelled the earlier fear, trees now had a few young frowns and the land was no longer without life. Spiritually, I saw this new overlay on top of the painting, where the sky was no longer full of water. Hope was in the air. A rainbow began to show the rebirth. The ground was no longer parched and tomato plants were sprouting at random giving food and growing where they had not grown before. 

  
I know now that this painting foretold Hurricane Ian who covered our island in 3 to 15 feet of water which had no happened since the Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 putting an end to Sanibel’s former legacy of tomato farming. The tomato seeds moved by Ian are sprouting again. The one hundred year gift. 

August 2022 to February 2023

The 100 Year Gift

In preparing the sub-straight for this piece in August 2022, the impression of a large frown emerged above a sizable open area. What the open area was to be, was not yet determined. I placed this unfinished painting aside, containing only the one image received as I had not as yet receive a full image, only the large frown. 

  
Last month (January 2023), I looked again at this painting and saw that the large open area was now filled as shown to me in an overlay revealing a Snowy Egret’s nest with two hatchlings. One was eager to grow and the other accepting the meal. 

  
Upon completing this painting, outside in our yard, the Snowy Egrets returned to enjoy the pond behind our house and the image of one of them found its path to this painting. The Spiritual and the physical live side by side. Both worlds are real to me in real time. 

  
Life renews proving love to be the greatest power. 

February 2023

24” x 36” Oil and Galkyd on Wood

  

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Arlene Stigum

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