Tag Archives: Christmas

I have been faced with some rather serious health problems in recent months and have had far less energy than usual to put together fresh material on a regular basis. I am therefore recycling a Winter Solstice/Christmas post from 2009 that was especially popular amongst my followers. Best wishes for the holidays to everyone!

“Lux Mundi Invicta”

While rooting through some old files recently, I found a picture I had painted over eight years ago—seven months after I had been discharged from the hospital and more than a year before I acquired my first camera. Inasmuch as the roots of our seasonal holiday observances can be traced back to ancient celebrations of the winter solstice, and as observance of the solstice is embedded in the traditions of just about every culture, all I needed was a message to turn my old gouache painting into a more or less universal holiday greeting card. The Third Century Roman Empire provided what I was looking for: a festival of the rebirth of the Unconquered Sun, Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, held by the Romans on December 25th to celebrate the lengthening of days and the sun’s re-ascension to the zenith following the winter solstice.

No matter how you celebrate the season, I wish you peace.

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

“Winter Sunrise” (Photo: Helen Opie)

This photo was sent to me last year by Helen Opie, an artist friend who lives in Nova Scotia, whose beautiful paintings and stunning quilt work can be seen and purchased on her website HelenOpie.com. I love this photo of Helen’s back yard so much, I took the liberty of doing a little retouching and cropping to turn it into my Christmas card for this year. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

As always, may your holidays be warmth-filled and stress-free.

“Lux Mundi Invicta”

While rooting through some old files recently, I found a picture I’d painted over eight years ago—seven months after I’d been discharged from the hospital and more than a year before I acquired my first camera. Inasmuch as the roots of our seasonal holiday observances can be traced back to ancient celebrations of the winter solstice, and since observance of the solstice is embedded in the traditions of just about every culture, all I needed was a message to turn my old gouache painting into a more or less universal holiday greeting card. The Third Century Roman Empire provided what I was looking for: a festival of the rebirth of the Unconquered Sun, Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, held by the Romans on December 25th to celebrate the lengthening of days and the sun’s re-ascension to the zenith following the winter solstice.

No matter how you celebrate the season, I wish you peace.