"Heart of Gold" - in Search of Spirit

Atlanta Marie Carrera - Atlanta's ART
2019 Festival of Trees
Lower Cape Fear Hospice
Ft. Fisher Aquarium

Atlanta's ART's entry in the
Lower Cape Fear Hospice
2019 Festival of Trees

at Fort Fisher Aquarium

Our entry is designed to illustrate the inner struggle of a mind being overcome with memory loss.  Each painting on the tree "hides" a poem (on the reverse side) which explores our "Search of Spirit."  Through this journey, we are enlightened in ways we never imagined. 

Photo credit:  Belinda Keller Photography








"Heart of Gold"
by Atlanta's ART
Dedicated to my husband
Reynold Carrera 1960-2019

 "Heart of Gold" is dedicated to my loving husband and the many memories we have made over the years. 

 

Dementia (represented in purple) grows slowly; entangling one's mind, but one's soul; their inner spirit (represented in gold), remains hidden deep within.

 

 



"Sunrise Over a Mountain of Fog"





"Dream Catcher of Wishes"

"Forget-Me-Nots in Bloom"



"Blooms in a Tangled Vine"

"Floating in the Seaweed"

"Focus on One Flower"

"Fishy, Fishy" in a Sea Anemone"

"Glory in Winter"

"Hidden Blossoms"

"Scattering of Flowered Branches"

"Lost Balloons"






"Light Among the Thorns"



"Light within the Petals"




"Lost Feathers"



"Partnership in Caregiving"

"Simplicity within Confusion"




In Memory of Reynold Carrera

Reynold Carrera
Nov 19, 1960 - Aug 26, 2019

Fundraiser for the Alzheimer's Association

Join us Nov 2, 2019 to walk the loop at Wrightsville Beach!
 
Atlanta's ART Team Page:  http://act.alz.org/goto/AtlantasART


About Reynold:
https://myheartseries.blogspot.com/p/reynold-carrera.html

Forget-Me-Nots in Bloom

"Forget-Me-Nots in Bloom"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

In the garden blooms
the Forget-Me-Nots.
In the garden blooms
my joy.

I will walk with you
down the garden path.
I will walk with you
this day.

I will sing a song
that will make you smile.
I will sing a song
for you.

The Forget-Me-Nots
bunched together strong.
The Forget-Me-Nots
in bloom.

Dream Catcher of Wishes

Dream Catcher of Wishes
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Dream Catcher of Wishes

Wishes like the rays of sun,
fanning out to bring us warmth,
spreading wide to touch the sky,
but trapped inside and locked in place.

Caught up in a web of string,
they circle round upon themselves,

glowing brightly from within,

desire captured, fire frozen. 

Dangling from the smallest thread,

feathers swaying with the breeze,
moved about by winds of chance,
but holding on to hopes and dreams.

Hidden Blossoms

"Twisted Tree of Knowledge"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Hidden Blossoms

Fragments of memory
trapped in the branches
of a twisted tree.

Pieces of knowledge
pulled apart slowly
as it grows.

Searching desperately
for new blooms.
Finding none.

Learning to appreciate
the hidden blossoms
before they wither.

Sunrise over a Mountain of Fog

"Sunrise over a Mountain of Fog"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Mountain of Fog

Living in fog,
with no ground beneath.
Stepping on clouds,
that give way at our feet.

Waiting for sun,
to break through the mist.
Hoping for light,
to show us a path.

Keep moving, keep walking,
through desperate despair,
only to find,
we are already there.

Lost Feathers

"Detached Pride of the Peacock"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Lost Feathers

Pride of the peacock,
a brilliant display,
a lifetime of memories,
plucked slowly away.

We gather up feathers
to save in a jar.
We cry for lost beauty
of who they are.

The gift we've been given,
a glimpse underneath,
a soul pure and simple,
but just out of reach.

Blooms in a Tangled Vine

"Blooms in a Tangled Vine"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Blooms in a Tangled Vine

Peeking out from tangled vines,
a flower's bloom which sometimes shines,
tightly held with no escape,
trying to grow, but locked in place.

A daily struggle to be seen,
a fight for freedom in between,
without direction, growing wild,
being treated like a child.

Nurtured by the gardeners touch,
watered by our tears of love,
wild beauty in its natural state,
connected by a living grace.

Focus on One Flower

"Focus on One Flower"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

This flower is mine.

I know every curve and wrinkle.

I know every color and hue.

I know how it sways in the wind.

I know each emotion too.

We share the same light.

We breathe the same air.

We feel the same rain.

This flower is not like the others

because this one belongs to me.

Light within the Petals

"Light within the Petals"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Light within the Petals

Surrounded by petals,

gently pushing out,

in all directions at once.

Protected by

the very thing

that holds it captive.

Light within the petals,

the centerpiece of the flower,

is the heart that grows inside.

Scattering of Flowered Branches

"Scattering of Flowered Branches"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Scattering of Flowered Branches

Constantly straightening the scattered branches.

Clipping and pruning to make them fit.

Artfully arranging to fill in the gaps.

Fighting a loosing battle to keep appearances.

Trying to reverse an unyielding course.

Searching for answers defying explanation.

Do we try to fix things that aren't broken?

Flowers bloom wildly in a natural display.

Maybe they're meant to grow that way.

Simplicity within Confusion

"Simplicity within Confusion"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Simplicity within Confusion

A brilliant array,

A distracting display,

Powerful color,

Takes your breath away.

Sounds are unheard,

Details become blurred,

Overwhelming fragrance,

Lightheadedness endured.

Simplicity sought,

A single thought,

Ignoring chaos,

Confusion fought.

Glory in Winter

"Glory in Winter"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

The Sun Still Rises

The sun still rises in the winter.

The leaves have fallen.

The tree may be bare,

but the sun still rises.

The branches look wrinkled and old.

The tree is dormant,

but it lives within,

and the sun still rises.

Every season brings its own celebration,

the next phase of life ushered in,

and there is glory in winter,

because the sun still rises.

Fishy, Fishy in a Sea Anemone

"Fishy, Fishy, in a Sea Anemone
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Fishy, Fishy, in a Sea Anemone

Playing hide-n-seek,

the fishes scatter,

when you try to reach,

and they dart away.

You can't catch me,

in the sea anemone,

safe at home,

at the bottom of the sea.

Floating in the Seaweed

"Floating in the Seaweed"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Floating in the Seaweed

Anchored down

in the deepest sea,

tentacles reach

to capture me.

Bubbles float

wild and free,

escaping the trap

of the moving seaweed.

Lost Balloons

"Lost Balloons"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Lost Balloons

Balloons with no anchor

are easily gone.

We hold their string tightly

and guide them along.

They float just above us

in a space all their own.

We constantly marvel

at the life we are shown.

We smile and delight

in their simple way.

Balloons filed with hope

that slowly deflate.

Light Among the Thorns

"Light Among the Thorns"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

Light Among the Thorns

Sharp are the thorns

that catch you off guard.

Cuts that run deep

and bleed from your heart.

Carefully you move,

least you get scratched,

as you reach for the light

just out of grasp.

It flickers and jumps

in unpredictable ways.

but in the palm of your hand

it finds joy in our days.

Partnership in Caregiving

"Partnership in Caregiving"
by Atlanta Marie Carrera

The Walk

We walk down the path side by side.

 You help share the load when I cry.

 You point out the sun when it shines.

 You help me find light when it hides.

 You listen when I need to talk.

 You speak words that I need to hear.

 I know I don't face this alone.

 Thank you for walking with me!