Monday, March 17, 2008

"Giving Cactus Some Definition..."

According to Wikipedia, "A cactus (plural: cacti, cactuses, or cactus) is any member of the succulent plant family Cactaceae, native to the Americas."

But...according to me...that's way too stuffy! To me cacti are the "Personality of the Desert." They give their arid homes character, and life, and a sense of identity and history. They give me, as an artist, "food for my sketchbook". They decorate my imagination. They become actors-role playing scenes from life...statuesque saquaro transform into guards standing watch over huddling bouquets of prickly pear...fleshy, juicy, ready to burst with color...sensual night blooming cereus coyly flirt...and tempt the creatures of the dark with their charms. Images like these dance in my mind and energize my pen and my keyboard.

Cacti are complex and wise, yet fresh and spunky. They are survivors. They deftly plant seeds of nostalgia deep into my being. Like old souls, they wistfully tell me stories of times eternal...Stories of Days...blazing with fire, and heat, and agony...and... Stories of Evenings...blanketed by endless stretches of soothing magenta sunsets...and...Stories of Nights...dark...with an inky blackness pierced by eternal pinholes of starlight and the ebbing sounds of wailing coyotes. They tell stories of their "home turf"...immense and vast and expansive, cloaked in antiquity, buzzing with life, yet serenely quiet, solitary, and remote. They share their desert world...their environment...with each of us on this planet. Their very essence flavors the art journals, the sketchbooks, the photographs, and the canvasses of artists across the world.

To me...my art...and my words...give cacti some real definition.

Happy Cactus Monday! WooHoo!

12 comments:

Shelly McC said...

gorgeous!

bettyfromtexas said...

Cleverly done!! Wonderful colors :-)

PNH said...

I really like your design ideas,what a great talent. Arizona is one of my favorite places, one of my sons lives in Tuscon, been there several times but getting too old to travel, the memories are good though. Keep up with the great ideas.

Teri said...

This is just stunningly designed. I love how you use circles, well, I just everything about it!!! What a treasure for Cactus Monday. You have added a huge dimension to the day.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

My goodness. I am so happy Teri directed us over here. You are a true artist, writer, painter. I am happy to have found your blog. You are an inspiration with all your works.

Thank you Teri for directing me here.

sandy said...

This is so wonderful and I love your writing...just great. I have always loved the desert. My father lived in Arizona (Parker and then Tombstone for years). We use to hike together in the Parker river area before the freeway went in.

I remember one long hot stick hike out to a place called the "desert bar". Ever heard of it?



sandy

Anita Davies said...

SCRUM-DIDDLY-UMPTIOUS!

soulbrush said...

wow, i am humbled at your work, mine is silly compared with this. happy cactus monday fellow cactuteer.'one for all and all for one!'

Lisa Adams Reed said...

Oh my goodness! Not only am I in love with your art, but now I am head over heels about Cacti!
Keep on entertaining me!
http://lisalou-graceart.blogspot.com/

pedalpower said...

Beautiful illustration!

Margaret Ann said...

Thanks for your visits...This was a lot of fun to do.

PNH...I'm glad you enjoy your memories of AZ. I agree...It really is an amazing place!

Sandy, I am not the familiar with Parker or Tombstone although I have a brother-in-law who lives in Parker...that river area is beautiful but you're right...very very HOT! I'll have to ask him about the "desert bar"! :)

Cactus Monday rocks...come join us if you like! :)

Serena Lewis said...

WOW....this has to be one of my favourite posts! Beautiful design and layout and beautifully written. I love Cacti and succulents and I love what you have written about them.