The sea and everything in it is mainly a symbol of summer, and it is during these days when summer is saying goodbye to make way for autumn that the presence of the latter is most noticeable, especially with the arrival of the rain that has been so eagerly awaited for so many months.
This city is not known for its rain, although when I first arrived here it was much rainier. The climate has changed in recent years, even the air is different, and I always think about how much this is affecting nature and, within it, the sea.
The sea is not only water but many other things, such as living creatures, fish of all kinds, seaweed and other beings of which we often only see their shells or their little houses, as I used to say when I was a child.
Thinking about rocks of kindness, these designs of those little houses that we normally find on the beach and that are so beautiful came to my mind. It is a way of saying goodbye to summer, a summer, this year, that has been wonderful, without high or extreme temperatures and, since I have been here, the best I have ever experienced, although I have not been able to go to the beach as I would have liked.
When I walk along the shore and enjoy the sea foam, I often see these seashells, of different shapes, colours, sizes and species, and I love them. But they also bring back memories. Some say that I have a story for everything, so why not share it with you while you watch me paint these things of kindness to say goodbye to the summer that is leaving and that fills life with energy.
In Argentina, we call them oysters and snails, although here they are called something else. There is a reason why I chose these three shapes. In the case of the oyster, which is the most rounded, it reminds me of many that my mother had. When she was a child, she used to go to the beach a lot and loved to collect them. She had them in various colours and sizes.
The elongated caracolito reminds me of my friend Claudia. She lives in a city with a beach, and whenever she went for a walk along the shore and saw them, she knew I liked them, so she took photos of them for me, as I didn't have a beach in my city. Often when we met, she would give me one, and I kept them as souvenirs.
The third rock of kindness had to have a large shell, one like the ones my mother also had, but this time the memory it brings back is that with all those shells, oysters, and sea shells that my mother collected when she was a child and teenager, she created a water fountain. I am a big fan of water fountains, but in this case, I bought all the materials to make one: the water pump, the hose, and the large container that would hold the water. Then, inside, I put rocks and all those little shells, the smallest ones. With the larger ones, I built a tower, and the water fell, and the sound was magical.
I did this when I was teaching computer classes many years ago and placed it in the classroom. All my students enjoyed that setting.
These rocks of kindness symbolise memories, friendship and, above all, nature and caring for it, especially the sea and the water that gives life. They signify kindness towards all living beings on this planet, and my wish is that they raise awareness of the importance of nature.
Of course, the technique I always use is oil on rock, and the colours I used are mainly white to contrast with the grey rock, ochre and dark brown, some black, and I also used carmine in the last one.
If you had to choose one, which would it be? I look forward to reading your comments.
Thank you very much for joining me today. Best regards. See you soon.
Amonet.
All photographs are my own.