In Alignment with the Heart

Aligned with the Heart by Lidia Kenig-Scher

Ahhh, what a wonderful year just ended!

What began with a fall on black ice and a concussion followed by sheer bewilderment while carrying out the simplest of tasks, unfolded and culminated in an array of fortunate events, fruitful lessons, a total energy shift and a feeling of peace.

A few of my long-time clients pulled me back into creating successful interiors in beautiful places near and far away and I learned new ways to deliver good design. Some asked me to design furniture and commissioned paintings and I practiced with diverse ways of painting from the heart. Others simply called to relay the impact my artworks and the interiors I created had on their lives and my eyes filled with tears of joy. More people now own Door Protectors and report awesome results and I felt grateful. My students not only created beautiful artworks, but a few began painting professionally and held successful exhibits. My heart expanded at these gifts of grace.

At the spiritual level the shift was also remarkable. In awe I witnessed many more events having not only positive effects on me, but on those around me. Last January I pledged to look within to fully uncover my light and as usual, I did this through the practice of meditation and intuitive painting. As I immersed myself in the process of creating new paintings for a Spring exhibit I consciously invited Divine Light to merge in my heart and then allow it to shimmer and shine all around me. I began to feel good even when faced with what I normally would deem negatively. Gratitude at the simplest things became a way of life.

In the process, I became a better human and had a very successful solo art exhibit. I also can proudly state that I know happiness and that I am blessed.

When the light in our hearts is fully turned on, we leave behind conscious and unconscious prisons of the mind; fear dies, worry is in the past and love takes over unabashedly in the here and now. We begin to trust that Life has our back, assistance coated in unconditional love is always available and the right circumstances open up. Help shows up in unexpected places and a cheering crowd applauds when we most need it.

As we become present to the miraculous beauty that seeks to live through us, as us and for the benefit of all humanity, we are grace and are in grace; we are aligned with the Divine Light that lives within our hearts.

Aligned with the Heart is a painting I created to depict my fruitful year of learning and good fortune and celebrate all of you who are in my life. It is a small alcohol inks on yupo that packs a lot of light and plenty of happy blessings. I would be honored if you purchase it here.

And Happy New Year 2019!!!

 

 

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Immersed in God

Immersed in God by Lidia Kenig-Scher

The landscape is teeming with life. Earth and sky are engaged in a mystical dance with such synergy that myriads of suns appear and merge with towering mountains in a joyful embrace.

The love of surrender is palpable and the intimacy of the touch feels sublime.

I gazed upon this painting created with alcohol inks on Yupo paper for weeks after completing it in my studio. This morning I realized that what started as a class demonstration piece is actually portraying each and every one of my experiences painting. It also depicts how I undertake any endeavor, from designing a new kitchen or a home to making works of art, writing and teaching.

Whether I play with alcohol or acrylic inks, or use enamels that morph when dried, I relish the mystery, thrive on the process and courageously surrender to it. I long passed the fear of what it will become and slowly but surely, I have embraced the process and incorporated it to my everyday life.

Living life creatively means that when the yearning to create beckons, we pay attention and cultivate it by making artworks, writing, singing, speaking, teaching, or…starting a new business!

The yearning to create is the voice of our souls wishing to manifest itself in the physical world.

 Honoring our soul’s needs is connecting with Spirit and opening to new learning from a pure and loving place within us. We are thus immersed in light, in God and find ourselves precisely on the spot where Heaven and Earth kiss passionately.

And so it is that when situations appear to have turned dark and dreary, I remind myself of what I learned in the studio. I feel blessed to know that nothing is permanent, that the sun is always present albeit behind dense clouds and that life loves me so deeply that it provides the wind beneath my wings so I can soar.

I am not unique or special. We are each divine and our hearts are all filled with divine light.

Yet each of us is at different stages in embracing our divinity, acknowledging our light and allowing it to fully shine in the world without fear of outshining anyone else’s. When we do recognize this powerful beacon of unconditional love and surrender to what is; we are Immersed in God.

 “Be the king who has made his own kingdom. Be the moon that has made her own summit.                                                

How much longer will you coo coo like a pigeon?

Empty your head of all mortal lusts. And become life without breath.                                                                                               

You will not call out for God anymore, for you have become immersed in God.”

Rumi (as translated by Rassouli)

May owning this painting cause you to live life Immersed in God!

The Colors of Healing

The Colors of Healing by Lidia Kenig-Scher (c)

I always loved looking up at the sky when the sun peaks over the horizon until it fully rises and lights up the day. A pure white ball surrounded by the blazing yellow corona inches up, it turns intensely orange and slowly disperses the red tones. Then magenta and violet puffs show up as if the sky was flowering. Soon the blues take over, the shimmering fire mass moves higher and when fully visible it warms the land.

Sunrise from my bedroom window

Many days I feel so energized after the marvelous spectacle out of my bedroom window, that I follow it by an open sky meditation where I simply focus on the vastness of the blues while fully grounded on the earth. It is rather easy to later glide into the studio and paint a sky. Possibilities are endless!

Progress painting

Twas on one of these mornings that I started the painting I call The Colors of Healing; fittingly so, it began with a sunrise. I wanted to capture the vision still in my heart and by the end of the first session; the canvas showed what appeared to be a flame of sun fire springing into a dance.

I loved how the magenta color looked against the blue sky and next to the orange brushstrokes. I must have been sensing the light inside me, because what sprung from the sun mass was painted in pure gold paint.

During the third session I became intrigued by the shape behind the “sun dancer” and loved how the light blue color was showing through.

In the final session, the forms distinguished themselves as if rising from the darkness and in front of the sun. Back-lit by the brightness, the two “figures” were not really detached.

The sky became more layered, the magenta more prominent and the dark purple more grounding. The turquoise hue offered a luminous contrast, uniting the shapes and highlighting a sense of joyous movement.

Where there two figures or two aspects of one? As I contemplated the finished work, I realized that it was helping me process a difficult interaction with a loved one.

Tears flowed where I saw separation and I summoned the nectar of mercy and compassion residing deep in my heart. I looked within and connected to its light and asserted that the same luminescence is within each of us; we are just at different stages of realizing it.

Where I felt despair, I glanced at the images in the art, at first dancing apart and ultimately reunited. Thus, I placed trust in the process and on Divine timing.

Where I perceived judgement, I healed it by dwelling on self-love and visualized the warm feelings growing to encompass all my loved ones. I surrounded everyone in peace, joy and gratefulness.

The title of the painting came at the end of the contemplation. I realized that the color turquoise and the mineral with the same name both embody the energy of wholeness. Much as humans like to focus on what divides us, in essence, we are one. Magenta vibrates with the energies of harmony and emotional balance. As the combination of red and violet, it merges the passion, power and energy of red, and it’s balanced by the dark, quiet and introspective energy of violet.

Magenta stimulates intuition and vision. It is transformative in that it encourages the release of old patterns preventing us from growing emotionally and spiritually. It assists us in moving forward through the door of unconditional love, compassion, kindness, cooperation, self-respect and contentment with ourselves; who we are and what we have. Gold is the quintessential color of healing; it symbolizes spirituality, higher understanding and communion with Source; with All That Is.

Blue, the dominant color in the painting vibrates with the vastness of the sky, conferring the sense of peace, serenity and the connection to a higher consciousness.

If you resonate with this painting and its healing properties, go to The Colors of Healing and purchase it now. Its power and beauty will not disappoint you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judgements-The Disease of the Mind

Judgments by Lidia Kenig (c) 2018

 When I contemplated this painting for what it was teaching me, I was initially attracted by the bright colors and rich textures, but when I moved past the glitz, I saw that it reflected recent experiences of being judged and judging. As such, I welcomed the opportunity to move through the initial emotional reaction and its delusional nature to see the actual gifts.

I think I was triggered by the cluster of shapes on the left side being offset by the very organic, plant-like form on the right. This was indeed a sign of separateness. But it was the tightness of the cluster with the bright red on top that stopped me on my tracks. It implied righteousness-as when we angrily judge another who appears to have disappointed us.

I reached into my heart and touched my recent sting! Yet I knew that there is a choice in how we interpret judgments others make about us. If we allow our ego to sprint with the emotions, we all lose. If we step back and reflect, we may accept the judgment as a karmic gift; an opportunity to heal the situation the judgment revealed and grow by releasing what we learned from our subconscious.

And relationships hold the richest lessons. Our inter-beingness coupled with mindfulness provide the mirror we can use to notice what has come up for healing.  This is a shared yet very individual opportunity; for we are each on our own personal journey to enlightenment.

When we are the ones who judge and notice it, we would be wise to remember that “whoever judges others digs a pit for themselves.” (Buddha) The moment we set ourselves apart from others through judgment, we plant seeds that will eventually blossom as negative experiences in the future.

When in the painting I looked more closely at the red drips in the middle of the cluster, it appears to purposely reach out to touch the separate one on the right.  To me, it depicts very prescient life situations our society is grappling with. We not only dislike those we disagree with and judge them as incorrect; we work very hard to point out their wrongness, elevate our rightness and use our judgments to shame them into conforming. In the process, we forfeit our authenticity, neglect to see what is possible, relinquish self-trust and discernment and give up on inner peace.

A sixth Century Chinese Chan (Zen) text calls judgments, “the disease of the mind”.

Looking at all phenomena through the lenses of “like” and “dislike”, keeps us from seeing the whole picture, in other words, to practice discernment. When we encounter a life situation and examine it with a child’s demeanor, we are able to understand what has appeared and can make sound decisions. Acknowledging that we are upset or delighted and be willing to move freely between attraction and aversion, or praise and blame, without attaching to one view or another, helps us not only to be spiritually and emotionally richer; it does bring wholeness and peace.

And it is through wholeness that we find the peace of God, “which surpasses all understanding, and will guard our hearts and minds…” (Philippians 4:7)

Purchasing this painting will help you to understand the differences between judging and discerning, and will serve as a reminder of the choices you have when being judged or when you judge others, including yourself. It will teach you to trust Life. Additionally, its color palette will brighten any space!

To buy it, go to, Judgments

Dancing to the Rhythm of Joy

The Rhythm of Joy by Lidia Kenig-Scher

The night before, I fell asleep bathed in the full Buck Moon shining brightly through my bedroom window. Yet it was still dark when I awoke and decided to go for a walk on the bike path. I arrived at a clearing just as the sun was peeking over the horizon and I could still see the stars being rapidly swallowed by the fiery splendor.

I leaned against a rock to marvel at the spectacle.

Everything appeared so sharp; the colors seemed brighter and the sky more spacious. I could clearly hear the fullness of nature’s silence and noticed that it mirrored my mood and the rhythm of my beating heart.

A palpable energy shift was unfolding. I felt lucky, invincible and powerful as I walked back home, keenly focused on every breath and on every step.

Two days later I turned a significant age milestone.

Perhaps I was buoyed by the love of my family and friends who joyously feted me with month-long impromptu celebrations. Maybe I was inspired by the last of the parties that took place on a gorgeous summer day where moments of beauty, love and joy intermingled as if it were divine music, when a week later I began this painting.

I went into the studio after my customary meditation…just breathing…just being.

As I started to paint, a sunrise began to appear on the canvas, and when the first session was over I noticed on the left, the precious moment I had witnessed earlier; the time when night and stars give way to the powerful light of the sun.

Once more, it took my breath away. I leaned against a chair and marveled at the spectacle.

When the sky and the ground were completed, I began painting random dots on the foreground but soon I became again engrossed in the sky’s beauty. Another day I was guided to mix red, purple, yellow and green with a palette knife and began to feverishly apply it over the dotted images. By the end of the session, the manic palette dabs shaped themselves into silhouettes and over the next couple of days, dancing figures appeared while haphazard markings made with a gold leaf pen defined the moving bodies.

Upon completion, I leaned on the meditation cushion and marveled at the spectacle.

Everything was now sharp; the colors were bright and the sky looked quite spacious. I could clearly see that the fullness of nature’s silence mirrored my mood and the rhythm of my beating heart; The Rhythm of Joy!

I invite you to Purchase the painting, or a print now and begin to shift your energy to The Rhythm of Joy

Let me know how it went.

 

Can You Allow Life to Surprise You?

Allowing Life to Surprise by Lidia Kenig-Scher (c) 2018

 

I must admit, I was getting impatient. I have been feeling listless for several weeks. I would meditate and fall asleep. I would go to bed early and sleep late. I would go into the studio and stare at a blank canvas with an equally blank gaze. I would re-arrange the brushes and inspect them carefully only to put them back unused in their bin. Even though I checked all my acrylic inks and the soft body paints for drips and dried up paint, when I looked around I noticed that the studio was untidy yet my living quarters were nice and clean.

Lacking motivation to read, I slept. I was not depressed; my empty mind knew that this is how I needed to be at the moment. From a sort of hibernation I trusted that somehow I would eventually find my way into a more physically and mentally productive stage. The full yin mode prepared me for a shift that fittingly so, began on the first day of Spring.

The sun was shining brightly as I cautiously entered the studio and felt the change in consciousness. I looked down and saw light in my heart and began to quickly and randomly apply soft body cadmium yellow paint on to a square canvas with a slanted palette knife. Filled with joy, I scratched the thick paint to make deep marks on the surface. I did this literally and figuratively, like I finally broke through a stalemate.

Even though I soon ran out of steam and needed to rest again, I was unafraid to yield. Something was about to be born and all I had to do was to continue to show up and be willing to be genuinely surprised. Allowing was the key.

A beautiful pearl is born when the oyster quietly secretes pearlescent nacre as she tries to ward off a foreign substance. Allowing gives time for the foreign (the unknown) to become, make itself known and reveal the beauty of the process.

During the next session, violet and lavender drips moved about the canvas aided by air from a compressor. When the undulating deep purple shape appeared on the bottom, I realized that I had created a window into the new cycle of my life.

Contemplating the final painting and looking for the lessons it was teaching me, I saw that after a whirlwind period of painting, exhibiting, presentations, teaching and writing, I needed permission to really let go. Thus, I allowed myself to come apart and be dissembled so that the pieces could be reassembled into a new spiritually coherent form.

The drips were an important part of my learning. They represent my unwillingness to detach from a painful life situation. The images suggest that it is time for a thorough unraveling. Spirit guided me to see that the reedy formations crafted into branches were now bursting with luscious red berries. Basking in the light of a glorious sunrise the young trees are so rapidly growing that they blend into the dreamy sky.

This painting reminds me and anyone who beholds it that life does not have to be grasped, or sought as much as received. When we are willing to trust our heart’s guidance and hold the necessary time and space for the new to unfold, we allow life to surprise us with the sweet berries of gratefulness, delight and joy.

As I internalized the art’s gifts, I received even more.  I was offered new and exciting art commissions, renewed a very old friendship and my family is hosting a party for my birthday. Last week, a friend hosted a surprise celebration for me.  Former students publicly expressed their appreciation for how my teaching affected them, a faraway friend surprised me with plans to visit me in the fall and another one booked a visit for next Summer.

I could actually post a very long list of happy surprises, but I hope that you may want to purchase the painting and learn to allow Life to Surprise You! Click on the link to see the painting up close and buy it now.

Clear Skies, Gentle Rolling Hills and a Powerful Mantra

PA Door Protector by Lidia Kenig-Scher (c)

She learned that she had options and so she began to consciously raise her vibration at every chance she had.

Paula (not her real name) ordered a Door Protector when she was navigating a difficult family situation. Yet it took nearly two months to write her personal statement because she wanted to make sure I understood her correctly. As she later realized, creating the statement was the beginning of her role in birthing the art I would be bringing to life for her and her family and that the statement was actually a conversation she needed to have with her Higher Self and God.

Throughout her life, Paula found that she needed to exercise total control of what she said and did, otherwise she would experience pain. On one hand she trusted that a higher power was at work and on the other hand she wanted to make sure that she was directing God with the right words.

Amidst the conundrum she was living through at that time, she founded laborious to clarify what she wished to manifest in her life and for her household-3 teens, husband and aging parents.

Soon she received a sign that was hard to ignore. After she tendered her written statement, a flying squirrel drowned in one of the toilets. In discussing the spiritual significance of a rodent that typically burrows in a house’s roof, stores food in crevices, has a keen sense of smell that allows it to find where the goods are hidden and glides nocturnally from tree to tree (don’t really fly); we agreed that much as Paula liked to plan for the future and control her life, she had lately found herself erratically running around and struggled to accomplish much both in her business and with the family. She lost money, had a particularly hurtful interaction with one of her sons and chose to avoid confronting her husband. She stored her worries, she felt responsible for everyone but did not have the keen sense of smell to find what needed to be acknowledged, integrated and released. She also tiptoed around the problems, for she felt unable to manage the aftermath of what needed to be discussed. As the flying squirrel, she was stretched thin and was exhausted.

In creating Paula’s Door Protector, I offered her the clarity of a turquoise sky with gentle winds scattering seeds above gentle and fertile rolling hills. The two dark stones implying flower pots are Shungites. These are healing stones known to help detoxify the body by absorbing and eliminating negative energies or anything that is physically hazardous. These crystals infuse the house’s aura with light, allowing only positive energies to reach the dwellers.

 The “pot” on the left has 5 natural Citrines blooming. Citrine is the premier stone of manifestation and imagination. They promote the healthy functioning of the will, stimulate all chakras like sunshine in Spring, clear the mind and stir the soul to action.

On the right, rubies confer nobility, magnificence, passion, protection and prosperity. They teach its owners to be grounded, strong, present and loving as the means to attract prosperity at all levels.

To further emphasize safety and protection, I scattered mustard seeds around the pots and the hills. The most powerful protection comes however, from the Wish Granting Jewel Mantra handwritten in Tibetan Sanskrit and that is the centerpiece of all Door Protectors. The 12 syllables constantly emit vibrations of unconditional love, balance, joy, gratefulness, right thinking, right speech, right concentration and right action for the benefit of all in the household. It will also positively affect those who simply behold it or pass under it.

Over time the family learned to connect deeply with the art and allowed the mantra to gently and consistently raise everyone’s vibration as they were ready and open to be so affected.

Although everyone’s life improved and shifted in different ways, it was Paula who since hanging the art made the most visible shifts. She learned that she had options and began to consciously raise her vibration at every chance she had. Paula meditated more often, attended retreats, connected with helpful friends, is considering expanding her business in a major way and admits without a doubt that she is fully protected, that life loves her and that her actions no longer resemble those of a flying squirrel.

Paula learned to express her needs with kindness and compassion, has forgiven herself and those who unwittingly hurt her and manages to live a more balanced life by listening to her heart.

You too can commission a Door Protector and learn to live a more balanced, safe and loving life, or you can start out by purchasing an embellished and signed print. See the available options @ Shop Door Protectors

Of Storms and Oysters

Of Storms and Oysters by Lidia Kenig (c) 2018

a day a while ago
i took out my shiny boat
to roam the High Seas

paddling i was
laughing out loud
and free
living the High Life
when the sky turned gray

clouds thickened
winds howled so loud
i couldn’t hear myself think

good thing!

my shiny boat capsized
and I lost all I owned
i felt scared
sad
lonely and unloved

where those seals I spotted ahead?
are there dolphins surfing on the waves?
i really couldn’t see
blinded by rain
i felt so cold

not ready to perish
i began to swim with zest
furious waves tossed me about
until i came to rest
and caught the glassy rays

this must be Heaven
I said
God was showing me the way

my spirit soared
my arms forged ahead
until I saw the Sun
a brightness I have never seen
then i knew i be alright

the Light outside
was deep within me too
i would survive this Storm

and here I am
writing this to prove
that all storms
give way to the sun
and pearly oysters

good thing!

of Storms and Oysters
I am building myself
a shiny new boat

lidia kenig-scher
may, 2018

Art has sold, but you can always find insightful, provocative and inspiring art on http://www.lidiascherart.com or follow me on facebook and instagram

The Light in the Soul

Light In the Soul by Lidia Kenig-Scher (c)

Do you normally feel rapturous joy? I remember feeling it as I dragged orange acrylic paint into creamy yellow to cover the canvas. This sense continued beyond writing my signature.

If you have been following my writing, you know that the physical act of creating is separate from the mental, emotional and spiritual part of naming the piece and dialoguing about what showed up on the canvas.

Pre-painting I sit quietly and use my breath to clear my mind. I observe thoughts come and I let them go, until I am possessed by the silence and a sense of openness akin to the endless sky.

At some point I move into the studio and pick up what I will use to go on an adventure of sorts. Akin to a shamanic journey, I use the surface as a portal, then materials, colors, textures and shapes show up along the way and become part of a life lesson I will learn and hopefully integrate and release after the painting is completed.

The finished art moves to a prominent place where I can contemplate the images to discern what it’s teaching me, what it wants to be called and how to best describe it for others to get the most benefits.

Sometimes the art sits in my bedroom for several weeks before I understand the theme, or the life lesson. At other times it moves out until its time comes.

This painting went to an exhibit so I had to call upon my Spirit Guides for quick help in naming it until I was ready to have a longer conversation with it.

I looked at the flat female figure with an empty head and holes in her energy centers dancing in a sea of golden and white light. Her childlike demeanor beckoned me in. I merged with her and I felt bright and beautiful.

An Ancient Chinese proverb came to mind…

When there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person.

I now see that the painting is showing me that in consciously inviting Divine Light, I became beautiful.  “You are radiant” became an often heard comment.

Childlike giddiness prevails as I visualize my salt and pepper hair turning into strands of Cerulean Blue and Red Cadmium Light. I notice that calmness pervades my present interactions with strangers, loved ones and friends. People seem eager to learn about my “jewels” –the wisdom they perceive in the words I speak.

When there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation.

So I tell of times of honoring my truth when I could have otherwise caved in and of trusting the voice in my heart to uncover the light within. Divinity enters, Grace unfolds and my work becomes visible to those who need it. By owning the art or taking my classes, folks can invite Divine Light.

When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.

I explain that those who are en-lightened are not special. They are committed to water the seeds of goodness wherever they are. They embrace what is and respect everyone’s journey. They spread unconditional love, unbounded joy, infinite possibility, total forgiveness and sheer equanimity. They transform collective fear, insecurity, jealousy, anger and despair by healing their gardens first in whatever ways they can.

My way is to put forth images conceived in love and light that raise the vibration of the places where they are installed. They provide a mirror for those who behold it so they may uncover their own Light.

At a recent art exhibit a receptionist commented that she was no artist, but during the six weeks that she sat in front of The Light in the Soul, she felt inspired to look at her work and her life differently. For the first time she noticed that she was creating (Light) all the time by the way in which she thought and behaved. She began to understand her uniqueness; her power to bring forth that which only she could.

If you want to experience en-lightenment, bring The Light of the Soul into your space and feel rapturous joy!

When I Invited Divine Light…

Inviting Divine Light by Lidia Kenig (c) 2018

…I shed tears of joy and could only utter words of deep thankfulness.

As the brush guided yellow, orange and red paint though the canvas, I felt completely at ease as if I was painting from inside Light.

And when Titan Buff acrylic arranged itself into a dominating, yet at ease female figure that lacked dimensionality, I knew that I was at once reflecting light and being part of it.

The velvety Alizarin Crimson forms laced with soft gold tones depict the rising of the powerful energy I experienced when while painting, fire appeared to enter through my root chakra, mingled with the vibrant creative force of the second chakra and guided Grace to penetrate my third chakra, the seat of Divine will.

Gold lines flowing upwards toward the heart center vividly capture what happened next; infinite love burst uncontrollably and I was overcome with profound gratefulness.

I felt riotously rich, filled with invaluable treasures, swimming in a river of abundance beyond anything I ever knew. Overall, I felt completely at peace. Like the figure in the art, I had no busy mind-chatter to enter my consciousness, thus, I was able to freely shed tears of joy and could only utter words of deep thankfulness.

In contemplating the finished art, I now realize that I will never be as I was before participating in its creation. As the profusion of tiny dots, stars and gold jewels imply, I was touched by the Light, became a part of it, reflected it, yet its Divine manifestation would later become clear.

Inviting Divine Light proved to attract magic at many levels. It sold before it was uploaded to the website, through a few progress photos I posted on Instagram. It will be installed in the private residence of my sister and brother-in-law residing in Chicago. With this purchase, this very dear couple expressed love and the desire to invite the Light into their lives. They also affirmed strong and generous support for my work as an artist and caused me to shed tears of joy and utter only words of deep thankfulness.

The art has also been much admired during the ongoing exhibit at Lexington Wealth Management in Lexington, MA. It was the first of many pieces sold on opening night and throughout the show’s run. It brought me additional commissions and attracted connections and assistance from welcome unexpected sources. The exhibit ends on May 10^th at noon, so hurry to see Inviting Divine Light and the other pieces, including the art still available for purchase. You can follow the link to this art which will take you to the website’s preview gallery before you go.

Please know that I may shed more tears of joy and will be deeply grateful for your visit!