“Grateful” made for the Feeling Heart chart. 5” x 7” , acrylic ink and graphite on yupo paper. Artist signature on the back.

“Grateful” : a soft, bright, peaceful feeling. The strongest flavor of grateful radiates from the heart (which this painting represents), specifically in reaction to a stimulus that causes one to stop abruptly in the momentum of daily life and be overwhelmed with gratitude. Without that stimulus, I can still feel grateful at any moment, yet must mindfully engage to feel it. This meditated grateful begins in the head, sparkling downward to the heart, and then to the whole body. A feeling of being balanced and peaceful is the result with a slight smile on the face. I have a gratitude journal (also this lilac, lavender color) where I list things I am grateful for, in a concerted effort to connect with that peace despite my inner stormy turmoil. This type of grateful takes discipline and choice, and more often than not, due to the mindful effort to do so, I eschew my journal’s Pollyanna vibes and fall asleep each night in other ways, despite it’s obvious benefits 😬🤷🏻‍♀️.