Encaustic Arts Magazine Winter 2015 | Page 15

SALLY CONDON

“ Last night , as I was sleeping , I dreamt - marvelous error ! - that I had a beehive here inside my heart . And the golden bees were making white combs and sweet honey from my old failures .”
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— Antonio Machado , from Times Alone
I am a painter , gardener , beekeeper and curious observer of the world I live in . I have always felt rather than intellectualized and often words do not come easily . Painting is my way of celebrating and expressing feelings of connectedness to the world around me . One of my daily pleasures is sitting in my garden especially near my bees , watching natures dance . No words come to mind but rather overwhelming feelings of awe . Within my garden small universes come alive and wither only to be reborn again . This daily ritual has become a form of meditation and source of much joy . The honeybees in my garden have contributed to this joy and feelings of connection . The bees have an amazing devotion to their hive and work as one for the benefit of all members and the coming generations . Everything they produce is nourishing with healing properties . The honey besides being a wonderful food source is a natural antibiotic that can be applied directly to wounds . Pollen , royal jelly , propolis , bee venom , and of course wax all have countless qualities and uses .