An exploration of the liminal spaces between memory and dream, between love and loss, between the girl I once was and the woman I have become…
Pénombre is the name of my first book, a collection of poetry and photos made during the past three years. The word pénombre means light that pierces into the darkness. The project was born in the haze of the loss of my son, Ryan, in 2008, becoming rooted a couple of years after I moved to France, it really began to blossom last fall during the Pigs Fly Retreat on Cumberland Island. It can take years to find a way to express the depth and impact of dramatic loss. For a long time, this was lurking in the corners of my imagination, but I wasn’t sure how to translate the layers of my grief and the complexity of my healing into a coherent visual language. The book touches on healing across the lifespan, as a process of our growth and evolution as human beings. It is, ultimately, a journey back to the Self. We are, after all, a collection of the sum of our experiences. It’s impossible to isolate any one aspect or element. Who we are now is who we were then. At the core, we really don’t change all that much. Working on this project has affirmed things that have always been deep and true for me, my deep connection with the natural world, my love of a summer rain, my fascination with the mysteries of growth and senescence, with shadow and light. It is a testament to my on-going quest (and need) for amazement. The time on Cumberland was a precious gift, one that continues to fill me with courage and inspiration. Being surrounded by a supportive community of innovative art-makers can do wonders for the soul! These fellow artists, my tribe, have given me the encouragement to bring this project to life and to pair my writing with the images. There are others who were not a part of the artists retreat but who have given me invaluable support nonetheless. I am blessed to be surrounded by such generous, loving people who make me feel heard and understood. I am so grateful for all of you.
Ans so, I release this book out into the world, that it may go on to live a life of its own, separate from the one it lived as a bunch of impressions swirling around inside my head. That is the contract we make with inspiration, isn’t it? Inspiration stood by me, and we worked together to give birth to the book, to bring it into the physical world. Where it goes from here is beyond my control. I’ll stand by and watch with curiosity, a full heart, and a slight smile on my face.
New adventures await. Such is the nature of art and inspiration.
You may find a link to the book here: https://www.blurb.com/b/10195496-p-nombre
Until next time…
Anne