Charlene Marsh Studio and Gallery

Milwaukee Domes.

I just got back from a show at the Milwaukee Domes in Wisconsin.  An incredible location for an art show!  Three large, geodesic domes housed various habitats.  One featured tropical plants, a second, desert plants, and then a third, called the Show Dome, was available to rent.  The City of Milwaukee was building new greenhouses behind the Domes for starting plants to beautify the city.  Along with the art fair, sixteen professional, plein air painters were invited to paint throughout the grounds and their paintings were then exhibited under a large tent on panels.  Made me really itch to get out and paint!

Milwaukee Domes water feature.

A drama unfolding on my cooler pack at the back of my booth was a cicada emerging from the nymphal skin!  Too cool!  Here he is coming out of the nymphal skin with his wings all tightly folded up.

Cicada emerging from exoskeleton.

Here his wings have expanded.  Over time, they darkened and he eventually flew away.  All this happened over the course of the afternoon while I tended my booth.

Cicada fully emerged out of the exoskeleton.

Here is a pictorial documentation of the entire process:  Cicada Emerging 

The book, Animal Speak by Ted Andrews, advises paying attention to the messages that animals bring to us, especially when there are multiple appearances in a short span of time.  Seeing the three snakes in three days and a shed snake skin as well as the emerging cicada, all within a week's time, got me to pondering metamorphosis and transformation.  I read where the cicada can take 2-5 years for its metamorphosis from ground dweller nymph to full fledged flying adult.  And on the drive home I thought about this process of shedding an old body, old beliefs, old restrictions and flying free, higher than ever.  These events represent the inevitability of change, of outgrowing our circumstances.  Metamorphosis is the magic of change that ensures growth.  With insects, the final expression is usually with wings.  The keynote for the snake according to Animal Speak is Rebirth, Resurrection, Initiation, and Wisdom.  Both the cicada and the snake go through a death and rebirth cycle as they outgrow the old.  I have to ponder how does this affect my life?  What changes do I need to make to better create the life I want and fulfill God's plan for my life?   Am I on the right path or do I need to make some adjustments?  Where does my heart want to go?  What is my heart's desire which is God's desire for my life?  What do I need to shed to emerge in a new, better form?  What do I need to shed to fly high?  How can I transform my life to better reflect where I need to go?  

Change, which can be difficult, forces creation which is essential to the life of an artist. Better to make changes in an easy, flowing way than wait for life to force change upon us.