Blog: Rabbits Part I

Featured images: "Jasper" and "Walker" by Christine Alfery

2020 is almost behind us.  As 2021 approaches I wonder what kind of year it will be.  But, then, I always wonder about a new year and what might happen in it.  For some reason, I have no idea why,  I decided that 2021 should be the year of the rabbit.  Why rabbit?  As I said, I have no idea.  But, when I started looking up rabbits and researching if I wanted to paint a rabbit or not, I found myself smiling a lot.  What fun.

So here are some of the tidbits I found out about rabbits:

1. Rabbits are a strong symbol of fertility and the celebration of life as they emerge in the new beginnings of a new year.  New beginnings, celebration of life.  This is positive.  
2. Alice followed a white rabbit.  I have done research of Alice and the white rabbit before so I will keep this short. Alice followed the white rabbit because she was curious and her curiosity led her to new adventures, new mysteries.  
3. Rabbits symbolize abundance.
4. If you had a dream about a white rabbit it is supposed to be a good sign in general.  I found in my research that the rabbit symbolizes in a dream, new life. 
5. And in the movie, Matrix, NEO was told to follow the white rabbit. Like Alice, NEO is curious. He followed the white rabbit.
6. The rabbit as well as the hare have been associated with moon deities and may signify rebirth or resurrection.  They may also be symbols of fertility or sensuality.

All of these are good meanings for the rabbit.  So, I started painting rabbits.  Rough start – the first one looked like a cocker spaniel.  Whenever I try to make something look like it is, I fail.  

So, I put myself into the work – my lines are more gestural, my lines are my marks.