The art and poetry collection, In Stillness, was created through my daily immersion in nature after the loss of our eldest daughter. Each day a renewal occurs, within the natural cycles, from dawn to dusk, season to season, one moon cycle to the next and one solar year to another. Life can hand out raw and unexpected deals at times, but for me, it's important to continue trusting that all emotions pass, leaving bitter-sweet memories of previous times. Visual references to the pain we suffer, losses we experience, hone us as human beings, helping us to move closer to the planet we live on as an intrinsic part, rather than separate, or overlord, to it. All we have known is reflected in nature. We can draw from all the death and loss seen every day, so much of which goes unnoticed by the average, busy person, unless it is within their own sphere of existence, but each day, a bird may fall from a nest, be storm-blown into unfamiliar landscapes or die, unknown and un-mourned. We deem these, seemingly, natural occurrences, to be less important than a human death. Our grief and loss, apparently, far outweighs a fallen bird... but is this truly so? By bearing witness to nature's losses, we can better understand, and mourn, our own personal, and collective tragedies. In Stillnes... in gratitude... Penny Reilly 2019 Beyond the Gate Gallery & Studio