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| "Arabesque" oil on canvas |
My husband and I decided that putting new cabinets in the kitchen and
vanities/sinks in the bathroom was a must this year. The original woodwork was
a slapdash effort by the builder 20 years ago to come in under budget and on
deadline. We were not aware of this until my husband put storage cabinets in
our garage and discovered that the inexpensive white laminates sold by Home
Depot were the exact same ones as in our kitchen and bathrooms.
Our project
was supposed to start one week ago, and we’re still waiting. Living out of
suitcases and boxes is much like camping out. We’ve also been eating a lot of
T.V. dinners and dining out. Finding space and time to paint has been
difficult.
I appreciate
the inspiration I continue to glean from all of you, and from the late Robert
Genn and his daughter Sara who keeps up their traditional newsletter.
These two quotes were my favorites:
"Where
you struggle, there lies your treasure." (Joseph Campbell)
Think about
this! The things you work the hardest for are usually worth more to you than
the simple enjoyable pleasures that last only a short time. Trying to master a
new skill, a new language, or working on a relationship that you recognize as
important is worth the effort and the tears because the final product or result
will be priceless!
Where does
your treasure lie? What do you put the most time into? When you’re finished,
will you be a stronger and better person than before? This is a good measuring
stick or criteria from which to build. “Where you struggle, there lies your
treasure.”
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| "Release -- my Trail of Tears" mixed media on canvas |
I devoted one
of my paintings to Campbell for this quote: “Art is the Set of Wings to carry
you out of your own entanglement.” The painting: “Release – my Trail of Tears”
was a real metamorphose of color and emotion for me. My son had given me "A Joseph Campbell Companion" several years ago, and the quotes are profound and stick in your mind.
Here’s
another beauty: "What
the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly."
(Richard Bach)
When we fail,
we see it as a disaster. Like the caterpillar, we may think our life, our
career, our romance is over. But if we’re patient, if we’re willing to try
again, we may discover something new and wonderful! A fragile butterfly may emerge from
the ashes of our defeat and lift us into new spheres of possibility.
I’ve had to
face a lot of obstacles recently. My career has been in a slump and one crisis
has replaced another in my efforts to gain a foothold. Life may slow me down,
but I will not be deterred. How about you?
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| "The Perfect Ending" acrylic on canvas |
