This painting marks a reflection on and transition in my life and working process, akin to the act of sitting down to savor a cup of warm tea and reflect on life - of getting to a place in life where I can finally slow down to a pace that is more suited to my temperament and transitioning from the fast pace of plein air landscape painting in oils or pastels toward quiet peaceful still life paintings created in a contemplative manner over a period of time and a focus on more intimate imagery from my life, daily experiences, and connections to nature.

I selected the items through a contemplative, intuitive process that revealed a connection to transitions in relationships in my life as well - a tea-pot shaped tea strainer from my mother, an embroidered/cross-stitched linen from my step-father’s family or his time living in Germany, a small fine china teacup and saucer my daughter picked out at an antique shop when she was a child, a small jar of Dickinson’s honey (a family name and my middle name) saved from a recent family trip to the Grand Canyon before my daughter set off into the world again to work on a PhD.

I created this painting from life in natural light, painting many thin layers over several weeks. It is a process that lends itself well to contemplation and reflection.