Summer sunset (2023) Painting by Larisa Ruy

120×80 cm. Acrylic, polymer clay, oil, gilding, author's technique. All flowers are handmade.
Plant symbolism occupies a significant part of culture and is based on the experience and knowledge of many generations. The science of herbs, describing the properties of plants, their method of cultivation and use, as well as their color, taste, smell and flowering time, provides the basis for giving meaning and endowing vegetation with certain characteristics (symbols). For example, clover is seen as a symbol of salvation, as the shamrock symbolizes the divine triad. Ears of wheat are associated primarily with abundance and fertility. Burdock (tartar, rosewort) is tied like a herb that drives away all evil. Because of its worn thorns it is a symbol of protection and retribution. Sage personifies wisdom and immortality; there is a belief that where sage blooms, everything goes well. Sage is considered a symbol of spiritual holiness. Sage brooms were used to cleanse the space. Verbena, since the Middle Ages, has been used by alchemists as a special herb endowed with many qualities: to protect, cleanse, heal. In the Middle Ages, verbena was carried by ambassadors sent to negotiate with the enemy. The celandine flower is a symbol of hope, new beginnings, healing and protection. There are a lot of legends and beliefs regarding Mandrake, which associate it with invulnerability and power. Wormwood and nettle are considered amulets. Field bindweed does not grow in the shade of other plants. Thanks to its determination and perseverance, field bindweed has also become a symbol of confidence, tenacity, and growth in life. Aconite, despite its beauty, is a poisonous plant, but in ancient times it acted as a symbol of protection against advancing enemies. Therefore, where aconite grows, there is no negative energy. In medicine, it is a strong pain reliever. Chicory is considered an extraordinary plant that helps overcome life's obstacles.
The symbolism of plant life is the language of our space. Look under your feet, what grows near your house - those plants will become healing for you, herbalists say. Aroma oils and tinctures can create a space around us that affects our psycho-emotional state. Almost a century ago, the English scientist Dr. Bach developed drugs (flower tinctures) that influence the correction (transformation) of negative emotions.
Take a closer look at this picture, what do you see and feel for yourself? What experiences do you get from shape, color, texture? Focus on your own world, which is inside you, on those markers that are significant only for you, because they allow you to find that valuable resource that allows you to move forward.

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Larisa RuyHerbs PaintFlowerBurdockWheat