Clouds get bad press.

 

Why is that? I enjoy sunshine and blue sky like the rest of ‘em, but why the doomy gloomy assumptions?

Cloudy day = misery.

‘Her face clouded over’ = negative thoughts.

‘Lovely day, isn’t it?’ = sunshine and blue sky.

My question to you :

What’s wrong with a cloud or two, or three or ninety?

What’s wrong

with a smattering of fluff, or even a rounded thick black bulb containing storms of potential?

We need rain, for heaven’s (and earth’s) sake.

Try telling the equation of ‘sunny sky = good’ to the drought-stricken inhabitants of the world.

Tell ‘clouds = bad’ to those who starve in the dry season.

And how about the saying, ‘Every cloud has a silver lining?’

It may be poetic, but it presumes we desire release from nasty cloudage via a pretty, shiny substance.

Let’s consider water. We need it. We are made of it. We humans are composed of around 60% water. Sloosh slosh sloosh slosh.

Recently, I chanced upon the Cloud Appreciation Society on Facebook. They decry the banality of ‘blue-sky thinking’ and are full of happy-making cloud photos.

There’s also a TED talk.

Finally, finally, after years of being told which cloud is which, I can now identify three basic types, because I’m motivated.

OK – I admit that sparkly sunlight can bring joy and for me, and that Yellow is the Colour of Hope. But I welcome the spectacle of a cloud-show. Just think. A sky full of interesting, diverse organic forms of perpetual movement – a picture never to be repeated. Ever.

Thank you for reading my cumulo-nimbic rave. Before you go, let me say that the three images (paintages) you see here are my contributions to the Hope Postcard Art Exchange initiated by the amazing Gretchen Miller of 6 Degrees of Creativity.

The three wee paintages are inspired by cloud-love, art-love and the glorious old song, ‘Painting the Clouds with Sunshine’.
They are made from paint, felt pen, fragments of sheet music and paper towels from the aged care facility I where I work.

I’d love to know your cloudy thoughts and feelings.

Pop me a comment below if you wish.