Creating the story of your life and love. . .

Annie & Gordon, Summer 2015  .  11 x 14  .  oil on linen panel

The swirl of life with its ups and downs has been deeply churning of late.  The sudden death of a beloved client, who had only recently e-mailed me with a "pep talk" about my artistic career and talents (for which I will be eternally grateful), my granddaughter's 10th birthday this month (a BIG one - double digits!) with the accompanying thought of how time is bolting by, not to mention the recent heart-slaying struggles of someone I love dearly as she searches for and finds a firmer footing filled with belief and the deeper knowledge of self. 

Then there is everyday life - the car getting its oil change, watering neighbor's flowers, checking their homes and picking up their mail and papers while they are on vacation, happy celebrations and catch-ups with friends, my perpetual dog sitting to help support my everyday needs!  Social media marketing and reach-out about my art, the back and forth between potential clients in an effort to secure a commission; well, the "swirl" has proven once again, quite possibly, that "The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion."  ~ Albert Einstein

Despite this, the thrum is not only welcomed but appreciated.  I promise!  

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Meanwhile:

In the background of all this noisy thrum came the quiet moments at the easel with the privilege of creating a painting exemplifying love and the rewards of its longevity.  

I'm speaking of Annie & Gordon, Summer 2015.

Commissioned by a loving sister and sister-in-law, respectively, to Gordon and Annie, painting this scene of an illuminating, special moment in their time together allowed my heart to slide into a place of love and deep admiration. 

It should not be surprising that the artist reaps so many rewards in what we do - the silence, the very zen-state of painting - gives us back our softness, defying the chaotic swirl, often, if graced, showing us the true underbelly of love. 

 It is not of the dark, rather it is of the light.  

What I've come to learn in this particular decade of my life, and what I have witnessed from the countless couples I've known over the years, is that if you stick it out, if your commitment survives the swirl of life, the very best, indeed, is yet to come. There's something to be said about having a long history with someone - a history making real the very miracle of the more you give, the more you possess.  This you feel when in the presence of  Annie and Gordon.  

Some say destiny is not a matter of chance - it's a matter of choice. I very much like the thought of Annie and Gordon choosing one another to share their life's journey.  The most touching part of this painting, for me, is Gordon's hand pulling Annie into him.  What a feeling of love I had when painting his strong hand. 

 

Yet I'm reminded of this Abraham Lincoln quote:

"To believe in the things you can see and touch is no belief at all; but to believe in the unseen is a triumph and a blessing."  

  It goes without saying that I am believing in the unseen for all.