"When you can speak your truth…
With the gentle grace of an angel,
The innocence awareness of a child,
And the wisdom and understanding of a sage, 
You will shower the world
With Love and Compassion. "
           ~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

Sapphire was named after the heavenly blue jewel.
Seeped in history and known to many religions,
this stone has long been considered to be the gem
of royalty and spiritual insights.
Sapphire much like the stone, represents
the pure blue ray of order and healing of the mind
and throat. With her one eye piercingly focused
outward, she is able to see with precision what lies
beneath the surface appearances. When we
can see with clarity then we can have a
deeper understanding of people and things
around us. This allows us to make better
decisions and it increases our intuition
Sapphire’s energy focuses on stimulating
and opening the throat and third eye.."

"An awakened heart
Is a feeling heart.
A feeling heart
Is free heart.”

I awaken my heart
To set myself free
So I can truly
And authentically be me.”
~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

“If You Can Dream It A
nd You Can Imagine It
Then You Can Believe It
For It Is Already Here
My Precious Dear.”

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

This painting is very special to me because when I was ready to move from Arkansas (a 2 ½ year stay that I knew was for spiritual healing purposes) my spirit told me to paint my dreams because Roger wasn’t ready yet. I had always wanted to live near the beach and my husband wanted to live near Disney World. I always said not this wife or life. Roger’s reason for being in Little Rock was business reasons and he wasn’t ready to leave yet. So I painted this painting and the day I finished he came home and said, “let’s go. What I came to do I have done.” Those were the exact words I said to God. “I can’t stay. What I came to do I have done.” So I packed up the house in 2 weeks and we left for Sarasota.

Creativity is a beautiful way to put your desires in form.

Today is our past dreams come to life
And today is the future dreams to unfold.
We are exactly where we are
Because we chose it moment by moment.

Fiona carries the deep of roots to Mother Earth. sherefelcts the knowledge that we carry of our past into our present as we set our eyes on the future. We are all a part of our ancestors and they are a part of us. They are our past and we are their future. Quatum physics and our spirit tells us that time is not lineal but rather “all time” is happening now. We don’t have to go back to our future in a time machine. We can go there in the silence of the now. As we shine our perception of the past everything in our present and our future possibilities change as well.

“When the moon shines as bright as the sun
the dawn of a new era of love is born.”

"As the harmonic rhythmic dance
Between the masculine sacred forces of reason
And the feminine sacred energies of intuition
Move together and unite

When the blessed child of the holy trinity is born,
So is a birth of a hallowed grace
The world miraculously receives a new era
Of Divine love and light to embrace.

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips
“Within us all is the mother, the father and the child.”

“To see a World in a Grain of Sand 
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, 
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 
And Eternity in an hour.” 

~ William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

Rachelle represents our return to innocence of the child within, our connection to "All That Is". As we become adults we often lose our connection to the innocence within, but when we go within to the stillness, we can reconnect to the sacred innocence of the Divine once again.

Listen to the innocense within.

Children are our teaches...
listen to them and be wise.
They remind us of our innocence and our light within.
If we learn their message of hope
we can fly for a while on their wings.
They are our future and our dreams.

    ~Charlotte Foley Phillips

I was experimenting with different textures to add to my canvas. I added tissue paper and I loved the depth of the texture. So I started adding them to all my paintings for a long time. Jolene came shining through. Her eyes are so alive. She is expanding her awareness and feeling confident in her skin.

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”

                         ~ Coco Chanel

Elloise symbolizes the mysterious side of a woman.
You are never quite sure what she is thinking
or what she might do next.
For she is always a step ahead
with one eye open at all times.

“The beauty of a woman
Is not in a facial mode
But the true beauty in a woman
Is reflected in her soul.”

    ~Audrey Hepburn

You’ve come a long way baby.

Abigail seems to be deep in self-reflection. Her eyes are alive and full of thought. Sometimes just taking moments to let go and let yourself breathe in the moments is like a little break to reset. Just a few moments alone with yourself can be the most refreshing thing you can do.

“I think the quickest way to spark a smile
is through the dancing blaze of your feet.
So dance with to rhythm of your soul
And follow your heart’s loving beat.”

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

Isabella represents the passionate dance of life mixed with
the compassionate heart of the soul. Without the blazing will igniting the flame of passion there would be no fuel for the healing love of compassion.

I created this painting as a tribute to Diana. our family had just returned from England and I wanted to capture so of the essence I felt. When Diana passed I just finished reading her biography the very sad night. So the shock was even more alive within me. Readying biographies has been a dear love of mine and my mom’s. We have always been interested in the choices others make and how it shapes their world. It reminds me to think wisely and be present when I am making choices.

The name Diana means "divine" or "heavenly,"originating from Latin and linked to the Roman goddess of the moon, hunt, wilderness, and childbirth, who was the equivalent of the Greek Artemis. Derived from an Indo-European root meaning "to shine," it signifies light and celestial power, embodying strength, independence, and natural beauty.

https://www.thebump.com/b/diana-baby-name

Sophia reminds me of elegance.
Feminine elegance is often described as an inner quality, a blend of grace, charm, and inner beauty that transcends mere looks, with sayings highlighting simplicity, enduring style, and inner strength, like Audrey Hepburn's "

“Elegance is the only beauty that never fades.”

My mom was elegant and full of creativity and charm. She never met a stranger. She taught me so much about feminine elegance and creativity. I learned that there really are no strangers if I am in touch with my inner world. I will know when to open up and when to walk on by. It’s all about tuning inward and knowing who I am.

Abeni & Adesina are a part of a series I call
“Earth Angels from Cultures Around the World.”

Abeni's name means, "We asked for her, and
we got her!” She represents our willingness to call
on our spirit to help us wake up and send love
and prayers to Africa, our home to so many species.
Adesina's name means, "She opens the way".
She represents our highest desire to open the door to love, compassion, and unity. As we call forth our soul to awaken us we remember that we are all Divinely connected and we are all responsible for our world. Each of us has a very special and unique gift to share, so let’s shine our light.

The world needs us...
can you hear her calling?

Kachina is a part of a series I call
“Earth Angels from Cultures Around the World.”

Kachina is Hopi and her name means spirit. She reminds us to ride on the wings of spirit and remember to take care of our Mother Earth, our home.

Her face says it all... “ Be wise and remember who you are, remember what you came to do or be.”

You are the gift you have been waiting for.
Rise up and know that you are home wherever you are.
And you are guided by your inner North Star.

Kachina is the wise feminine essence that sees all even in the darkness of the night.
May your wounds turn into gifts of wisdom guiding you to your own inner light.
The world needs us so don’t be afraid to be wise and shine brightly.

Nunataq & Nanook represent the comforting relationship between friends.
“My best friend is my Guardian Angel.”
Nunataq (which means, a rocky element of a
mountain not covered with ice at the edge of a glacier).
I thought this name was fitting for it symbolizes the thawing of a glazer (frozen emotions).
Sometimes we have to let our emotions thaw and flow so that we can release the past.
It is healthy to allow tears to flow when we feel stuck,
hurt or upset.It frees us to let go and move through our pain. Sometimes we need a bit of help or hug from our friends to let go. Nanook, a dog and symbol for friend, reminds us of the healing power and love shared between friends.

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”
~Roger Caras

"May you ride the changes of your life
With the confidence and courage

And may you find the love within
If ever you feel discouraged.

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

Although horse have long been domesticated by man, they still maintain their own inner strength and drive. Powerful one moment yet gentle the next. Horses seem to ride the wind of change with grace and confidence.

“Gratitude is the doorway
To an abundant heart.
Appreciating where we are
Is a great place to start.”

(Some days it takes a lot of courage and strength
To find our grateful heart.)

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

Precious little angel, Bridgette, is shown with a sweet piglet named Bernadette. Although you can easily see that Bernadette is small she is also filled with strength and confidence. Her face is determined yet soft. Perched on the fence she is ready to move in any direction. The ever renewal qualities of the pig give it the symbol of abundance and prosperity. So Bridgette is embracing the pig’s energy, looking out into the world with wide open eyes of awareness and enthusiasm.

“Silence is a great source of strength”

“The moon in her chariot of pearl”
― Oscar Wilde, The Nightingale and the Rose

The Spirit of the Moon

She moves like a graceful cat
Creeping into the darkness of night. 
One moment she is seen ...
And the next she is not.

~ Charlotte Phillips

“We don’t have to be worried to walk
Through the shadows of our past,
For they hold the secrets
Of the light which is yet to be cast.”

"Sometimes you just need a hug
From you best friend."

This is dedicated to my best friend, T.
He means the world to me.

I LOVE YOU T

Thomas is aramaic name meaning twin.

As you can see Thomas is featured with a sweet pug named Bentley and they are as inseparable as twins.

This sweet painting is very special to me in many ways.
I will start by saying that until this painting I had only been painting females. Having been asked many times if I would ever paint males, I finally decided to give it a try. At the time, I had been seeing little pugs everywhere and when my good friend Thomas reminded me that he had a pug...
well I immediately asked him if I could paint Bentley.
Then I thought it would be really cool if Thomas would share
his childhood pictures so that I could use him as my model.
Thomas was such an adorable little boy!
And I am happy to say he still has that part of himself
alive and well!
Our friendship has been one of the dearest to me and
so I thought it was the perfect symbol for me
to go within to explore my own masculine energies.

“Be the friend to yourself that you want by your side.”

"Every heart should have a dog
to teach it how to love and play."

 ~Charlotte Foley Phillips

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” ~Plato

Joscelyn and Jolly remind me of the importance of play. Laughing, playing, dancing and singing all add joy to my life. Sometimes I think I just don’t have a moment to stop and play…however the truth is when I take a moment to play I relax and let go. In this relaxed state I am able to open up to new opportunities and solutions to flow in.

Not only will this shift my perspective it will flow out because joy is contagious!

“Only gentle ones
Are truly the strong ones
And it begins within.

What we give out
To ourselves and others
Will circle back in.

So be kind
And kindness
You will find.”

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

“When the little voice says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

Valentine represents the energy of perseverance and prosperity. She is seen with the goat which symbolizes the mountain climber. When we stay grounded in each moment and focus on one step at a time, before we know it we will have reached the summit of our goals with ease and grace. Then we will experience prosperity blossoming in our hearts.

“Your heart is the ruler you use to measure your prosperity
For the heart knows it all begins with gratitude and clarity.”

~Charlotte Foley Phillips

"Little children remember their wings
And they hear the songs their angel sings.

So don’t forget the child within
For this is where it all must begin."
           ~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

~ I dedicated this painting to the memory of the relationship I had with my brother when we were young.
We were very close growing up and I miss what we had.

The little angel whispers in a delicate but very strong voice…

“When you learn to trust the sacred innocence
That is deeply-seated in the essence of your soul
You’ll remember you are not lost or broken
For in your soul you have always been whole.”

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

"A loving heart teaches us to rest, be still
And enjoy the tranquility of nature’s treasures.

For there are no greater gifts to be found
And certainly no better pleasures."

Annalina is shown with a baby deer symbolizing the gentle and sensitive yet strong intuition which lies within each of our hearts.

The deer has often been a spiritual symbol of a gentle loving heart that encourages us to ret, be silent and enjoy the tranquility of nature.
     ~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

“Before I can wake up
Out of my shadowy nightmares
And become the dreamer of my dreams
I first need to stop focusing
All of my attention
On my external polarity of extremes.
For l I know in my soul
What I truly believe
Is what I will conceive, achieve & receive”

(Are we not all the characters in our own dreams?)

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

This painting came to me when I was deeply treading through so many fears in my head. I didn’t know who I was outside of all the roles I had been playing in my life ie. daughter, sister, wife, mother, teacher. Who was Charlotte…just the parts of me that I hadn’t been able to see? So I knew I needed to dive deeply within again. This time I was to be totally alone all day. I had never been alone like I was getting ready to dive into. I t was a great emotion and spiritual healing journey. This painting opened the door. My Higher Self love to speak to me through art.

"Sadness is not just about letting go
It can also be about letting it be."

Penelope is a child angel that is surrounding Charlie, the Basset hound, with her heart wings of love.

Basset hounds seem to look sad even when they are happy. They often seem to have the “whoa is me ”feeing. I chose to use the Basset as a symbol for those emotional times when we feel stuck in despair , grief or sadness.

These emotions are just feelings we shunned or tucked away. When we stop and allow the energy and emotions to move on through us, we open up to a sense of inner trust and peace. These are just stuck emotions that are now ready to be felt and released. They are not here to stay. Once we feel them they’ll be on their way.

Don’t be afraid to feel
It is how you body. mind heal.

And healing is just feeling.
It’s we you stop feeling that you feel stuck.

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

The journey within leads me to find
The innocent child that never grows old.

When I find her she shows me wonders
I’ve yet to see or even believe can unfold

For she lives beyond what my eyes can conceive,
As well as what my ears and heart can perceive.

She lives in fullness with joy, love, bliss and curiosity
And she teaches me to live in gratitude, and generosity.”

The child within reminds me to live in the moment where everything is born. When I live in each breath I am grateful, loving and appreciative for all that I have, for I know that everything I need is already within me.
Fear cannot live in the moment…
it needs to the projections of the past or future.
I always keep my inner child close to my heart and I know through this divine connection I will see and experience the miraculous in every moment…even when i fall into doubt ,a part will be shining through the cracks.
~Charlotte Foley Phillips

Through the Looking Glass

When I see the world that’s beyond me
As scary things I do not want to see.
I know its time to peek within me
So I can set my inner child free
Then I’ll remember ….what ‘could be’
Is merely what I’ve yet to own as me.

(Beyond time and beyond my conscious mind
A whole new world of me I find.)
~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

“Sometimes the answer to our prayer is right inside.”

Eliana’s name means “God has answered”. No matter what is going on in our lives, even in the most difficult and chaotic times or when we feel like we have lost our way, we can always take a brief moment and ask for gentle guidance and help. When we stop and breathe in the silence of the present moment we will be able to hear the answer loud and clearly, for every moment is a new beginning…a chance to stop the path that we are on and choose a new one. with this new awareness we will be able to see many more opportunities than we could have seen before.

“In the stillness all distractions can be silent and answers can be heard.” Be still and listen…

"Nothing is ever as bleak as it seems.
So never give up on your dreams.

Dance to the rhythm of your heart
And you’ll be off to a good start.”

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

As a young child one of my greatest dreams was to take dance lessons. Finally at 14 years old I used my babysitting money to pay half of my ballet lessons. It only lasted for a year because we moved away. But it was a glorious dream come true. So when my daughters said they wanted to dance I made sure that happened. There were twenty-five years of going to recitals and I enjoyed every moment of their delight.

“The moment I let go of doubt and fear
Is when I know grace and strength will reappear.”

Ethan reminds me that my confidence and strength is never lost nor is it imprisoned in shadows of fear.
It’s just a belief I once held near.
So I surrender and let go…
And return to life’s flow.

~Charlotte Foley Phillips

"Once the caterpillar
consumes the world around.

She spins her cocoon
and transcends to higher ground."

~ Charlotte Foley Phillips

“Magic is believing in yourself,
if you can do that, you can make anything happen.”

                 ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Some days I just need to loosen up and play!!! Life may be stressful, stagnant  or exhausting. But I try never to forget that magic is all around me. There are worlds inside of worlds and all of it reflects aspects of my collected whole. So I never need to be bored or stressed out. My wonderful life is full of surprises. Whether I travel inward or outward, there will never be an end to what I can discover, create, invent, experience or discover.  

If I feel like I am in a rut, it only takes a mere 15 minutes of silence  to reset my mind  and return to the present moment.

“Second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning.”

               ~ Peter Pan

“Dream Catcher” is a reminder to let your dreams have the strength and space to grow.

“Dream Catcher”, soft yet equally powerful, 
simulates the Native American legend she represents.

(A dreamcatcher  allows the good dreams to come through while catching the bad ones.) In our dreaming state, we often comprehend  things that we may not understand in our waking life. We also may receive solutions to problems or learn to let go of things we have outgrown.

Everything starts with a dream. In fact isn’t our entire life really a dream within a dream that we are all creating together,
one breathe at a time? Will it be a lovely dream? 
It is up to all of us.

“You may say I'm a dreamer,
but I'm not the only one. 
I hope someday you'll join us.
And the world will live as one.” 

― John Lennon

I believe in Magic! Do you?
For me…seeing magic is a choice and a state of mind, not just fairy tales. If you don’t believe then how can you conceive and of course achieve? I believe it all begins within… with our belief, trust and faith. A popular saying and it is in the movie Santa Claus…”Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.”

"A fallen blossom never returns to the branch."
- A Japanese proverb
This is one of the first paintings I did for a series I called Earths Angels Around the World. I had just started painting but my passion was on fire.
I have always admired the Asian culture, especially Japanese. So much of their art showcases the cherry blossoms (sakura) a poignant reminder to cherish the present moment. Cherry blossoms mark the arrival of spring, a season of new beginnings and rebirth.

Remembrance of the tragedy of 911. It was a wake up call for the world and especially for the United States of America. Do we give our power away and think the external world is all there is and we have no power to change things? Do we look for others to save us? For me it was not only shocking it also woke me up to dive more internally inward. We are all responsible for the world we live in whether we realize it or not. There will be many more painful wake up calls but war is one we still have not learned our lessons from. Are we ready to grow up yet?

Natasha represents strength through forgiveness.
She teaches us to move through our difficult times
with love and forgiveness. As we forgive ourselves and
others we receive more strength to move through our lives.
Then we can move into our new vision of peace and unity.
While we continue to remember the lessons of our past
we release the shadows that no longer represent who
we are in the present.

“If you do what you've always done,
you'll get what you've always gotten.”

                ~Russian Proverb

Felisa” Little Angel of Happiness & Luck

Like the ladybug, Felisa, reminds us that life is short.
She teaches us to let go of our worries and fears,
to trust in spirit and enjoy life. Only fear can keep us out of the Now and now is where all possibilities exist.

The ladybug has long been associated with good luck as well as renewal and regeneration. She teaches us not to work too hard or push our dreams too fast.
Her message is, "all in due time".

Guinevere was created out of an abstract piece. When I finished the background I felt a strong feminine voice coming through. She knows who she is and her strength is not external. She sees the world through the eyes of the sacred feminine that highlights the inner power of intuition, creation, nurturing, resilience, and a deep connection to nature. She is reminds me to listen to my heart and follow my inner knowing. The temple is within.

“If you don’t shine your light, who will?” 

This sweet little Earth Angel is named Luna. Her beauty illuminates from within and flows out for all to enjoy. Luna reminds us not to be afraid to strut our feathers. She is shown imitating the peacock as if to say, “see my wings are beautiful too.” I think it is good to share your unique beauty and talents with the world. Of course we want to talk our humility along. But we are all beautiful inside and out and we have a lot to share. When you shine so will others and isn’t it a beautiful thing to so many lights?
Remember, you are the light of the world.

“So don’t be afraid to shine .”