What It Is

It is madness
says reason
It is what it is
says love …

It is unhappiness
says calculation
It is nothing but pain
says fear
It has no future
says insight
It is what it is
says love …

It is ridiculous
says pride
It is foolish
says caution
It is impossible
says experience
It is what it is
says love …

What it is by Erich Fried

Love this poem and read it many times. Do you love such poems?

I love many of them …

First and foremost, allow me to share Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43, ‘How Do I Love Thee?’

It begins with the iconic lines:

‘How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways…’

These two lines alone contain volumes of meaning, and I find myself revisiting them often …

There’s another poem, I love, and that is ‘Hope’ by Emily Dickinson

‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all’ …

I may not be good at recitation, but I have a deep passion for reading and appreciating the intricate artistry of language. The way words are arranged to evoke emotions, convey wisdom, and capture the essence of life, love, and nature resonates deeply with me. It’s in these moments, amidst the twists and turns of expression, that I find myself enamored with the beauty of language and the emotions it encapsulates …

See, when you read ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ by Robert Frost, won’t you just love this famous poem?

‘The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep’ …

Here’s another eloquent excerpt from the renowned poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost:

‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.’

This poem resonates deeply with me and holds a special place in my heart, as I often find myself reflecting on its message of making pivotal choices that shape one’s journey.

I have a profound admiration for another poem, namely ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.’ Its expression conjures the sense of companionship, as if the lover is spiritually present, ensuring one is not alone:

‘Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky’ …

Isn’t it beautiful?

I’m certain many of you appreciate these poems. There are numerous others, but I’d like to share just a few of my absolute favorites with you all, such as ‘Leisure’ by William Henry Davies:

‘What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare …
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.’

To selectively share excerpts from the poem is my means of conveying:

Please delve into the poems I’m presenting here—
read them when solitude surrounds you,
read them in the company of your beloved,
read them among friends,
read them with strangers,
read them in tranquility,
read them amidst chaos …
but above all, I hope you
read them in their entirety …

Read

Sharing one of my recent painting video from ‘Chaos’ series. Hope you may like it. Also I tried to read the poem ‘What It Is’. Hope you would like listening to it as well ….

And also please do share here about your favourite poems …..

Let Silence Reigns

Let silence reigns…
Afterwards let words flow freely, endlessly through us, like a gentle stream ….

Let certain words remain unsaid …
Let some words remain unheard …
Let silence reigns …

For if all is voiced
What remains in the silence?
For if all is listened
What remains in the voice?

Let blank pages be as it is
For me and you, for the time being or for long, long time …

Let silence reigns …

Afterwards let words flow freely, endlessly through us, like a gentle stream, unbound, serene and graceful ….

Meraki

My canvas of delight is
Dancing bright …
My passion is igniting
A colorful sight …
My soul is painting
A tranquil choir …
My emotion is healing
With peace and fire …

Meraki
(v.) to do something with soul, creativity or love; to leave a piece and essence of yourself in something you do …

Palletes of Nature

Hello Artist,
That dream was planted in your heart for a reason. No one else can dream it for you, no one else can accomplish it …

Be kind to yourself …
Follow your dream …

Loving this colorful echoes, my little palletes of nature …

Javaphile

Coffee rings tell tales of art,
Creativity …

Javaphile
(n.) someone who loves coffee

Slow Down

I want to slow down in life. I want to be steady. Why run? Where to run? Where to fly? Everything will be fine …

Take a deep breath …

Jian Bird Creates

You & Me

You and me. A love story …

Happy Birthday Roksana

If I look deep enough I think I’ve always loved to paint. But that didn’t happen until 2020. Painting came as a healing journey during pandemic time and I delve myself into in a kind of hypnotic allures of colorful emotion. I was a full time teacher back then. In 2021 I left my teaching job and start living my dream life of being an artist. Though it wasn’t my plan and surely it didn’t come easy, but it was all about a healing gift for me.

Over the years I created so many paintings and organised self-initiated events from awareness programs to rooftop exhibition and in-house exhibitions to fund-raising projects for underprivileged children and people and my paintings displaying in fairs, wander ventures and pop-up sales and receiving admirations from all over the world and very recently, JBC initiating wellness programs under art therapy and colorful date with mindful conversations.

It’s an incredible journey which I’m enjoying immensely and all the things I do for my Jian Bird Creates, I do with all my heart and soul. The universe has been kind to me, and true are the words from The Alchemist, ‘And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it’ – as if it was happening for me without me knowing it because I was so busy in creating the wonders that were coming to my mind and everyone around me, specially my whole family, few beautiful friends and very very specially My Lama girl giving heart and soul for my wonders …

Happy Birthday my dearest friend Roksana Amelia
Love you to the moon, stars and beyond ⭐️
Life is a blessing. Bless it with all your heart wherever you’re ….

To the unknown
To the uncertainty
To the chaos
To the infinity

Cracks – A Painting

You’re shattered enough to understand that cracks are required for light to enter …

Let the light enter your soul …

We are all broken—that’s how the light gets in

Ernest Hemingway

Isn’t it true?



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Fluent in Silence – A Painting

So,
if you are
too tired to speak,
sit next to me
for I, too, am
fluent in silence.”

The Girl on the Front Porch by Ron Arnold

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Tell me, are you fluent in silence?

A Tale of Twin Paintings

I put my heart and soul into my work, and I have lost my mind in the process.
-Vincent Willem Van Gogh

It is true for each of my creative works. My paintings have its stories and often they echo my deep-rooted emotions and deep talk with myself. I live in each of its stories and moments of creativity.

So here I so very wish to share my stories of two paintings with you all.

A Tale of Twin Paintings

Finally Falguni has the other twin painting tittle ‘Hope Shines’. I am super happy that she has chosen this one. And then there the first twin painting titled ‘Follow the Soothing Breeze, Here’ already owned by my daughter …

Why am I saying this two paintings as ‘TWIN PAINTINGS’?

Because I painted this two paintings simultaneously, keeping them side by side using only one art paper, dividing them with masking tapes. And they both have the same wavelengths I felt at the time I was painting them. While I was working on this Twins, during their creative process, colouring, taking pauses, brushing, re-brushing, stroking the brushes here and there, I remember I was contemplating on various things, specially doing meaningful purposeful work for the rest of my life. A purpose greater than life itself. Many a times I felt discouraged and demotivated, but never ever I felt lost as to what next. I’ve been always having different ideas to move forward in life. Never look back what I couldn’t, but moving forward what I can. Just like the titles of the Twin Paintings, I have been following a Soothing Breeze instilled in my heart all my life keeping my ‘Hope’ Shines throughout this life’s journey so far ….

Amazing, na?

Now I’m so glad that one twin painting is with my little sister-friend Falguni, and the other twin has its permanent residence at my dear daughter’s far away homesweethome.

When I first shared the two paintings after seemingly finishing them with my daughter, she immediately asked me to keep the ‘Follow the Soothing Breeze Here’ painting for her. I just loved the urgency to book the painting for herself. So I did keep it aside for her, happily. Last time I visited NY, I took that painting for her home there. She has already few of my paintings at her home. Now all the people come to visit her place, they ask her about the paintings and she feels so proud to let them know, ‘My mom is an artist. These are her paintings.’ She has been my very own cheerleader from the day I started the painting journey in 2020. And from then onwards, I listened to her many suggestions for my Jian Bird Creates and my painting journey. She absolutely adores my creative style of living and specially this journey inspires her to follow the soothing breeze deep inside her loving beautiful heart for herself.

Now ‘Hope Shines’ had lost its Twin and was alone, passing its days with other dazzling paintings around it. One day Falguni came at my Fund raising event ‘Meet & Greet’ for love and light. She walked through my small Jian Bird Gallery, and there she found her ‘Hope Shines’. As definitely always her hope shines through all the ups and downs of life’s tragic and unexpected happenings and yet she continues to shine ✨ For that reason or some other, she decided to own the ‘Hope Shines’ …

For an artist, the canvas is his life, breath and philosophy. So when someone owns their artwork or creative piece, and genuinely wants to keep those with them, I as an artist consider it as honor. I feel they can relate to the piece as I do. And for most of my artworks, I had this conversational experience to tell a story or to evoke an emotion. And there are some who wants me to attach the story with it. I feel it’s a complete connection, from soul to soul.

Now I know my very first TWIN paintings will always remain as their beloved treasures at their soul-home wherever they go. They are themselves two amazing souls in the beautiful Earth, self-made, selfless and strong.

Lastly, I just want to say to ALL of you;
Never forget. Hope shines only for those who believe.

Thanks, kindly, for stopping by and reading this long note from me.

Warmly,

Roksana


JianBirdGallery❄️ JianBirdCreates

Melancholia

Soft yellow breeze …
Sweetness surrounds …
Such tenderness …
Yet a melancholy mood …

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Little Easels – Paintings

Happy Easels, Little Easels

Hello Everyone, I’m so delighted to let all of you know that I’ll be organising an in house exhibition, titled ‘Meet & Greet’ for the theme of ‘Love & Light’.

All the details are in the link:

https://fb.me/e/3jE0l7WS9?mibextid=RQdjqZ

I’m already thankful and grateful for each of the gift of purchase from JBC’s ‘Love & Light’ project (Greeting Cards & Little Easel Paintings). The gifts are going to be DOUBLED as a ‘Giveaway’ from Jian Bird Creates to any non-profit organization working for the climate change movement, empowerment and education for women and children, or sustainability locally and globally.

So, ‘Meet & Greet’ and be a part of JBC’s ‘Love & Light’ project and help make an impact in the community and beyond.

Registration is must: Fill up the form to join the event:

https://forms.gle/z8iNSbri9zsQhSsc6

If you kindly come, I’ll be super happy for your presence at my humble event.

I hope to see you there, in shaAllah

With love,
Roksana Amelia

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‘We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”

Mother Teresa

Chaos – A Painting

Darlin’, don’t quit your daydream
It’s your life that you’re making
It ain’t big enough if it doesn’t scare the hell out of you
If it makes you nervous
It’s probably worth it
Why save it for sleep when you could be living your daydream?”

Daydream
Song by Lily Meola

I did this painting late at night around 2 am in the morning and this song is so true … When certain words move people, they show how much power they have to make changes …

Be afraid, but do it anyway …..

I have given this painting this title, CHAOS. As a child I was forever daydreaming. As I grow older, I find chaos in fulfilling my daydreaming. Some days I win, and some days, I fail. However, I never lose hope and continue to daydreams. I don’t know whether it’s good or bad, but it does make me feel good and helps me mentally settled with all my daydreams and I keep moving as time and space drive me to eternity. I m sure to leave behind a legacy of grit and perseverance.

“My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. Continue to allow humor to lighten the burden of your tender heart.”

– Maya Angelou

❤️

Have you ever felt chaos in chasing your daydreams? I think that’s what it is always for most people …. What do you think?



I hope you will love the video as well.

Solitary Dream – A Painting-

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Come and let me embrace you
With the colorful memories,
Rooted in our hearts
That we owe to ourselves ….

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Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.

– Kahlil Gibran

What do you think?

Unfinished – A Painting

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Each flower reflects God’s perfect glory,
Quietly drifting along the wondrous things around;
Though unfinished it seems,
There is magic
In its vibrant colours!

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How vibrant are you in reflecting your magic around?

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Dear Art – A Letter

Dear Art,

How are you?
I have something to tell you.

I have visited places to see you, feel you, articulate you in my own way. The more I see you, the more I fall in love with you. Some make it complicated and some make you so simple. You are instilled with so many stories of different people. And different people see you with their different perspectives, with their own stories. It fascinates me. It doesn’t matter to you if you are old or young. You know only to encompass yourself to infinity. You do not hide. You are open for all. Some feel you like home. Some treat you like strangers.

Dear Art,
You are not stranger to me. You are like home to me. I do not like to describe you much. You come to me as a beautiful surprise each day. You bring rainbow colours to explore my universe. I rest in you silently nurturing a world full of wonders. I feel pure.

Dear Art,
Do you know you make me shimmery, trembling, softly, from within?

Love,
Me



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Do you have any letter for art and me?

Belle – A Painting

They say
If you want to look for flaws, you’ll find them;
If you want to look for beauty and happiness, you’ll find them too …

What do you want to find?



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Enjoy the journey

Wondrous Beauty – A Painting

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Loosing myself, and finding myself….. ….. ….

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How do you wish to lose yourself and find yourself?

The Ache That Would Not Leave’ – A Painting

Can I ask you something?

“Behind the hum and routine of daily living, there lay a persistent and wild longing for something she could not easily put into words. It felt like impulsive adventures and watching the sun rise over unfamiliar mountains ….

The truly heartbreaking part was that she could feel the remaining days of her life falling away, like leaves from an autumn tree, but still this mysterious person who held the key to unlock her secrets did not arrive; they were missing, and she knew not where to find them.”
-John Mark Green



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I treasure my painting moments ….
What are your treasured moments?