The artist who created our logo painting

 By  Artist Donna Kinnaird  ~ after her first visit to Gigi's Lavender farm.

Unedited - as originally posted on her Facebook page ~ Sept. 2020

" ...The farm filled me with not only joy but calm and peace.  I told her We would return and I know that we will.  There is a message on that piece of land that I need to discover.  Have you ever felt that way about a place?"...   

Yesterday, we took a little road trip out to the north side of town to a little lavender farm.  The grounds were not stellar.  The old house was crooked and well used.  The barn was old and in need of repair.  But, there was an energy of joy and happiness that flowed from this piece of ground.  

I could feel it.  I could have stayed there all day.  The lovely lady who sold us our lavender plants was a joy, a delight.  She told me that the barn had once been an artist’s studio.  The house was used by musicians.  The lavender field was her baby and she has plans to expand to another field.  I knew.  I could feel it.  The love flowed form this land. 

There was a rustY old horse trailer that she said she bought because it was old and rusty.  I knew then we could be friends.  I told her nothing could be too rusty, the rustier the better and we both agreed upon that.  

Sometimes, there are people who cross our paths, even for a moment and we know they were sent to us for a reason.  She made my day.  The farm filled me with not only joy but calm and peace.  I told her We would return and I know that we will.  There is a message on that piece of land that I need to discover.  Have you ever felt that way about a place?  

It’s so easy to get caught up in fear and worry during such an unpredictable time. Eckhart Tolle said “Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose.”  Um, hello!  How may hours, days, months, and years have we wasted on worry, on things that never happened and if they did there was nothing we could do about it any way?  If we totaled them up, we might find that we have worried away a good deal of our lives and for what?  Absolutely nothing.  

So, this afternoon, after I sewed, I had such a need to paint that beautiful place and so I did.  That old barn holds stories that would fill volumes as does that patch of land.  I would love to know them all. 

Lavender is not only beautiful, but it smells so good and is therapeutic too.  Lavender is used for many thinGs - essential oils, soaps, lotions, tea, pot pourri, and medical purposes.  

Have you ever had a headache and rubbed some lavender oil on your temples? The lovely fragrance will calm you and help relax the tense muscles causing your headache.

If you have trouble sleeping, spray a little lavender water on your pillow.  The beautiful scent will relax you and help you sleep.  

Lavender is the most used essential oil in the world.  It’s familiar scent is a combination of fresh floral notes that are clean and calming.  Lavender has antioxidant properties, can help balance blood sugar, heals cuts and burns, improves acne, can help digestive problems, is used in massages to enhance relaxation, as well as used in lotions and bath products.  Since lavender is non toxic, it is also used in perfumes and room fresheners.  

Standing over a beautiful field of purple lavender is so calming, peaceful, and fragrant.  The purple color of lavender speaks of elegance, refinement and luxury.  The color purple is also associated with the crown chakra which is the energy center associated with our higher purpose and spiritual connectivity.  

The lavender flower is known to represent purity, silence, devotion, serenity, grace, and calmness.  And that is exactly what I felt standing in that field overlooking those lavender plants.  I felt calm and serene.  The world needs more of that these days doesn’t it?  Maybe we should all invest in more lavender essential oil and sprinkle it everywhere to chase all the questionable spirits away.  

I took a picture of the old barn on the property and put it in today’s painting.  I titled the painting “Fields of Lavender Under Golden Tennessee Skies.”  It’s a long title but meaningful.  

If you can find a lavender field anywhere near where you live, take a day trip and enjoy the beauty, the serenity, the calm that is offered.  That is grace from the world to use and we are all in need of all we can get right now.

NOTE from Gigi: I discovered Donna's post & the image of her beautiful painting on Facebook & immediatley recognized (both) how perfectly she captured the experience of my heart about my farm and our lavender. I immediately bought the painting & asked Donna, "what would it cost to also own all rights to it so that I can use it as my logo, etc?" In true Donna spirit, she asked for one of my lavender plants. I said no....and insisted it be two! Ha ha! Joy! Lavender Love y'all!