agent of change, Monotype of the Day #705

Day 335 of Year 2 (Actually Day 340)

Touched by an Angel
By Maya Angelou

We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight,
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.

From Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou https://amzn.to/3ftENJW

the arrival, Monotype of the Day #389

Day 24 of Year 2

I really love working from the ink left over from the previous night's plate. When I changed inks in May, the ink was too stiff and wouldn't give up a ghost print (a second, but lighter print from a monotype plate). But I've finally gotten the consistency worked out and it's such a joy to have this way of working back. You learn many lessons while making art, not the least of which are never give up and patience. If something isn't working, I set it aside and practice patience. In art as in life, you can't force things to turn out the way you want, but this doesn't mean you have to give up. You can hold your intention and wait for the proper time remembering everything cycles. Have faith.

Seek patience*
By Maya Angelou

Seek patience
and passion
in equal amounts.

Patience alone
will not build the temple.

Passion alone
will destroy its walls. *This poem/quote is all over the internet. I didn't get it from a book and I can't find any source for when/where it was said. However, I also don't find anyone disputing Maya Angelou said or wrote it. Anyway, I love the sentiment none the less and I'm ordering a book of her collected poetry to explore her work more. xo