What To Say When Words Are Not Enough

This piece was first published on The Weekly Service website, where Rose is an artist in residence.

"Shining", vibrant abstract painting by Rose Wintergreen, artist in residence at The Weekly Service, 2021

Words are convenient containers, but sometimes they aren’t big enough.

What to say, when words are not enough?

Sometimes, deciding not to speak, but showing “I am thinking of you, you are not forgotten” is the biggest gift of all:

• Leaving a surprise block of chocolate, or some veggies from your garden on their doorstep.

• Posting some seeds from the hollyhocks you grew last spring.

• Posting that perfect white feather and the leaf curving around on itself in a perfect circle that you found on your walk.

• Leaving a surprise chalk drawing on their footpath.

• Sharing photos of a painting you made the last time you were together, of the colours you saw and felt from their smiles, whilst listening to their stories of lonely neighbours connecting after decades spent alone.

I am thinking of you.

You are not forgotten.

I made this painting thinking of you, shining.

Behind the scenes of creating "Shining" live online (vibrant abstract painting by Rose Wintergreen, artist in residence at The Weekly Service, 2021)

Close up of "Shining", vibrant abstract painting by Rose Wintergreen, artist in residence at The Weekly Service, 2021

Close up of "Shining", vibrant abstract painting by Rose Wintergreen, artist in residence at The Weekly Service, 2021

Close up of "Shining", vibrant abstract painting by Rose Wintergreen, artist in residence at The Weekly Service, 2021

Close up of "Shining", vibrant abstract painting by Rose Wintergreen, artist in residence at The Weekly Service, 2021

Love,

Rose Wintergreen

x
(one of the artists in residence this season)

We Can Still Drink Tea Together: new painting & poem

This piece was first published on The Weekly Service website, where Rose is an artist in residence.

What can you say when you are separated by distance from your loved ones, and they are grieving? Migrant grief was the theme of our most recent service with Farah Beaini.

I made this painting, called “We can still drink tea together”, whilst listening to her story, and I wrote the poem before hand.

I brewed some tea and I used the tea in the painting.

Can you spot the tea?

What to say, when…

What to say when I can’t be there with you?

So much space between us two

But I can feel you

I can feel you here in my heart

When I fill my cup

I think of you

I think of you

We are still connected

Maybe you can drink the same tea as me?

Each holding our own cups across the sea

What to say when I can’t be there with you?

Make this cup of tea

I am drinking it with you

We are drinking it together

We are drinking it together

Can you feel it?

Close up of painting "We Can Still Drink Tea Together", vibrant abstract expressionist art created by Rose Wintergreen, artist in residence at The Weekly Service 2021

Close up of painting "We Can Still Drink Tea Together", vibrant abstract expressionist art created by Rose Wintergreen, artist in residence at The Weekly Service 2021

Close up of painting "We Can Still Drink Tea Together", vibrant abstract expressionist art created by Rose Wintergreen, artist in residence at The Weekly Service 2021

Love,

Rose Wintergreen

x
(one of the artists in residence this season)

What To Say When We Can't Be Together?

This piece was first published on The Weekly Service website, where Rose is an artist in residence.

Let’s have a cup of tea together. Go on, put the kettle on.

Have you got your tea now?

I’m drinking chamomile. What’s yours?

I joke with friends who know me very well that words are not my native language.

My feelings have always felt too big for words, and my mind too fast for my mouth.

I love the shapes and sounds of words, and I love playing with them written down when there is no time pressure, but I trip over them when I try to make them come out my mouth, unless I concentrate with a lot of effort.

When I am in the same room as a person, it is easier. I can read their energy. I can show them in other ways that I understand, that I hear them and feel them.

When they are distressed, and the words are stuck, I can motion to the couch for them to sit.

I can hand them my teddy bear.

I can put the kettle on, make them a soothing chamomile tea, and hold it out to them.

I can light a candle and put lavender oil in an oil burner - a soothing sight to focus on, as well as a soothing sound.

I can place a hand on their shoulder, and it says more than words ever could.

How to connect when we can’t be together

The last two years — living much of the time alone in lockdown — has been a test of determination and creativity for staying connected through physical separation and distance.

I have taken selfies of myself hugging myself, pretending I was hugging a dear friend, and sent it to them, telling them it was me hugging them.

I have recorded the sound of myself making a cup of tea, and sent it to a friend, so they could listen to it as they also made tea, and we could “have tea together”.

I’ve bought beautiful, ethically handmade soy candles lovingly made by one friend, and given the same one to several different friends and family who know each other, and let them know, “every time you light this candle, it is the same one we all have, so you are connecting with all of us at once”.

I’ve recorded myself talking to them as if they are here, and sent them the recording as a voice message, so they can hear all the background noises of my home.

Migrant grief - this week’s service

This week’s service is touching on this theme, from the perspective of connecting across even larger distances. Farah Beani will be talking about migrant grief.

What does it feel like to be separated from loved ones and grieve from a distance?

I look forward to meeting with you online, with our cups of tea, to share time together. I’ll be there, painting as we listen. Book your ticket here.

Love,

Rose Wintergreen

(One of the artists in residence this season)