LIFE IS FOR LIVING

I have had cause in recent months to reflect on the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unexpected odds.  Creating two barkcloth paintings called "Life is For Living I & II" was part of that process:

A random quote caught my eye during the time I was mulling over this project.  " Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.  It's about learning to dance in the rain!"

These paintings evolved with that thought in mind.  They focus on the joie de vivre that is a special part of  the Fijian experience of life. This includes the ability to live fully in the moment, to celebrate with no holds barred in childlike-merriment;  a spirit of exuberance that is often missing from the fast-paced life of urban worlds elsewhere... even when the chips are down!

 "Life Is For Living I & II" are currently for sale from our studio in Nadi, Fiji.  External dimensions of frames are 61 x 61 cm. (Can be shipped unframed if you are based outside of Fiji).  Contact us for further details: sigavou@connect.com.fj

ISLAND AFTERNOON

This is "Island Afternoon" - painted on silk, using silk dyes with metallic gold resist for the lines.  The size of the painting itself is 50 x 90 cm.  I've had it framed with lovely, dark-brown, textured molding, bringing the framed size to about 70 x 110 cm.

Here are some musings on this piece:

This painting celebrates the turquoise and golden
moments of an afternoon at the beach: a languid snorkel

along colourful reefs,  surrounded by schools of fish and coral,

with the occasional shark to liven things up...

Lulled by the rhythm of the waves, we relax under a frangipani tree

in the gentle glow of the late afternoon sunshine,
with freshly-squeezed fruit drinks or a bilo of kava (note the yaqona roots).
The seven-lobed cassava leaf and ripe coconut feature repeatedly

in my artwork as symbols of island sustenance,

the bonds with nature that keep
Fijian communities strong and well-nourished.

This painting is currently for sale. (If you are not based in Fiji you may want to purchase just the artwork - we can take it out of the frame for easy shipping if need be...)  Contact us by email: sigavou@connect.com.fj for details.