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Artists who paints in oil en plein aire. Member of the three member Plein Aire Cottage Artists. Members: Mary Rose Holmes, Violetta Chandler and Helen Tilston

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Mother's Day 2012 St. Augustine confessions

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers.
Happy Mother's Day to all who remember their mothers

St Augustine - Confessions 9.12:
  Gently I closed my mother's eyes. An immeasurable sorrow flowed up into my heart and would have 
   overflowed in tears.  But my eyes, under the mind's strong constraint, held back their flow. As my mother breathed her last, the child Adeodatus broke out into lamentations. We checked him and brought him to silence
 (Adeodatus was St. Augustine's son)

One of my favourite images of our Blessed Mother is the image of "The Patron Saint of Street Children"  aka  Our Lady of Poverty.
Our Lady of the streets - oil on linen by Helen Tilston -painting is still wet, thus the shine



My mother Kathlen Bohannon Glynn died April 24, 1998.   She was fun loving, joyful, a brilliant mind, who loved all her 7 children and my father Peter Glynn.  She taught us all she knew and what she did not know she quickly found teachers and mentors for us.  She baked bread like no one else can.
She did not sweat the little stuff.  She had common sense and a heart full of love.  Two beautiful memories of her are.  It infrequently snows in Ireland and rarely does the snow stay. I recall her waking all 7 of us children at 2.00 a.m. on a winter's night to tell us to quickly get up, get dressed and come on outside as there was snow.  We threw snowballs in the moonlight until day break.
Another time, she told my sister Maura and I that we could have the next day off school and she was taking us to Dublin.   What a day we had, lunch at Woolworth's self serve counter.  Shopping on Moore Street, walking up Grafton Street, finished off by tea at Bewley's Cafe.
This image reminds me of my mother singing a lullaby in Gaelic  to my baby brother Thomas Glynn
.

8 comments:

  1. I loved your painting of "Our Lady of Poverty" patron saint of street children. Any possibility of having cards or prints made from the image? Reason I ask is my son Adam is heading up the "Coalition for the Homeless" in Sarasota and while this is certainly a "Catholic" symbol I see her as a universal symbol that might help the coalition with fund raising. Lyn

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  2. Helen,
    What a beautiful tribute to your Mother. Funny my Mother baked bread almost everyday when almost until she passed away in July 2009. When we were small we used to go to the Woolworth counter on Saturday for something to eat here in Toronto. I know that our meeting was meant to be.
    Gloria

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  3. Helen,
    Your painting is exquisite. The colors radiate through the painting and create comfort to the eye, just as our mothers comfort us through our lives. Your mother would be proud.

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  4. Dear Helen,
    I absolutely LOVE and ADORE these last two paintings of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Oh Helen,
    please do more spiritual paintings. Maybe one of Jesus? These paintings really touched me.
    And you could do Mary Magdalene or Jesus in the carpenter shop...or Mary during the presentation IN the temple.
    I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your style of painting. I was just really touched and moved by these two
    paintings. I pray that you do more paintings of our Blessed Mother.
    These paintings are gorgeous.
    Love, Shelly

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  5. Dear Helen,
    Another note:
    I just can't get over the beauty and purity of these paintings. I think they are going to be famous someday....I really do. PLEASE do more paintings like this. They speak to the heart. I know you have to be inspired ... but with your talent and your unique style,
    I can't even imagine what you will create.
    There is something so pure about your painting. I just think you capture the essence of her purity and holiness. These are truly two of the most beautifully pure pictures of Our Blessed Mother that I have ever seen. I am very sincere about this.

    Love, Shelly

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  6. Dear Helen,
    My sister, Shelly sent me your pictures of the Virgin Mary. I was so moved when I saw your pictures...please, please, please paint more pictures of Mary and Jesus. I fell in love with the softness and purity in the face of Mary and Jesus. You have been given an amazing gift from God. God Bless you...Crystal

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  7. Lyn
    Thank you for your validation. It means so much to me. Your son Adam is to be admired for his leadership. I am interested in working with him.
    Christian
    Thank you for your kindness. Your mother sounded like a beautiful lady from the stories you have told of her loving ways
    Shelly
    I treasure your encouragement. I take all your suggestions very seriously. It is so beautiful of you to take the time from your busy schedule to write.
    Crystal
    I am overjoyed to hear from you. Your encouragement will get me into my studio first thing in the morning. Fondest regards

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  8. Helen, A most lovely painting of our lady and baby jesus..
    If you do decide to make cards with Christian.. i would love to have some..
    your friend in art. val

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