I have very few regrets about how I walked through the ashes from a fire in my home and studio in February of 2018.  

Click here to read of my fire adventures. 

The biggest one was not taking the time to roll around naked in the nothingness. 

Yes, it’s a convoluted story… 

One strange day my contractor took me aside and said he wanted to warn me that they would be moving all of my scarce remaining furniture into my studio so the wood floors could be re-done. Yes, they look grand now.) He said he knew how I felt about people or items in my art studio that don’t belong.  

Expansion, ©2016 Alicia R Peterson, acrylic on linen, 36 x 24.” Photo: Peter Scheer

A wise man…you don’t want to be near me if my sacred studio space has been compromised.  

When I returned the next day, I could barely walk into my studio. 

I left right away…. I was an agitated artist and even away from my studio, I remained agitated. My studio had been invaded by furniture.   

A week later, I was in serious crazyville with the timing of finishing up all the pieces that had to come together so I could move back home. The day before the move was the day the studio was emptied.  

It was devoid of any objects except my worktable and shelves. 

I walked into divine empty and peace just flowed through me. And yes, then the call to just roll around naked in the empty was loud and clear.  

Did I listen? NO 

Well from a practical standpoint, naked was not going to work with my contractor’s crew still scurrying around. 

I could have returned in the eve but the pressure of too much to do before the move back was the strongest pull. I listened to the “get your work done” voice. 

I did not carve out time to return to the sanctuary of empty. This I regret. 

So alas, I did not roll around naked in the nothingness. Really not sure that was what was going to happen…probably just sitting and being. It was a body longing to be part of the empty. Thus wanting to roll around it. Maybe it would rub off… 

 By the next day my studio was filled with boxes of paints etc. to unpack, the nothingness was gone.  

So I will continue to be painting the empty, the peace of nothingness, the power of less. 

Yellow See Thru, ©2014 Alicia R Peterson, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 12”. Photo: Peter Scheer