Maybe the tragedy of the human race was that we had forgotten we were each Divine. –Shirley MacLaine
The inspiration for Divine Things came to me one summer on Martha’s Vineyard. The island is wrapped in a wild, raw beauty. There are images of mermaids everywhere. Lying on the beach, it’s not hard to imagine a secret world beneath the waves.
The mermaid in the illustration is a metaphor for the exquisiteness that so often lives below the surface. It takes an open mind and heart to discern it. But then again, sometimes all it takes is just looking……
I snapped this photo of my daughter Bridget on Martha’s Vineyard, around the time she posed for the above illustration. She is a mermaid of the landlocked variety. To learn more about mermaids check out my friend artist Margot Datz’s book A Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids.
All text and images © Sue Shanahan. All rights reserved.
www.sueshanahan.com
Commonplace Grace 
Beautiful. Glad you enjoyed your time in the Vineyard. I was there during a difficult time in my life (divorce) and it offered some of the clarity that I needed. Also, bought an art piece that has become and always will be, a favorite.
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The Vineyard does seem to have a healing quality about it, doesn’t it? The beauty there is restorative.
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