Artwords Topic #39 - "Breath"

10x10, watercolor, ink, graphite, color pencil

A moody, somewhat dark (for me) interpretation for breath.

Most of my work tends to be "fluff and flowers" so this was unexpected and even though I wasn't feeling particularly somber, it just sort of came out. I think it had to do with how many things lie sleeping right now under all the snow of winter (at least where I am), slumbering through a short "death", waiting to be reborn in spring. This brought me to thinking of life: living, breathing and death: dying, taking a last breath, and the birds associated with death and dying: crows/ravens.

The image I drew & then painted, was brought about from memory, the unsnowy (sp?) view from a back window, where crows can be seen during summer months. Even though I don't believe in superstitions much or the rhymes or folklore that go with them, I always draw a short breath when I spot these ominous birds and automatically play the rhyme out in my head:

One for sorrow, two for mirth,
Three for a wedding, four for a birth,
Five for silver, six for gold,
Seven for a secret not to be told.

or this one:

One for sadness, two for mirth;
Three for marriage, four for birth;
Five for laughing, six for crying;
Seven for sickness, eight for dying;
Nine for silver, ten for gold;
Eleven a secret that will never be told.

At least the piece finished up on a positive note as I realized when I was done, that there were 5 crows =)