February can be a difficult month in general, but even more so here in Maine. Like numerous parts of the country that get their fair share of cold and snow, I had another snow / ice / rain day last week to stay in the studio and paint. While I was inspired by the pastel colors of the sky that lit up when the sun came out briefly towards the end of the day, I had zero desire to venture outdoors. However, that inspiration from Nature was enough motivation to "lighten up" three of my canvases that I did early on in my oil spill series. I'm more confident of the colors that "work" together now and I was able to go over some older works with ease and unify the composition without the worry of "ruining" them.
We had the opportunity of having our only grand-daughter sleep over this past Friday night. She's 10 years old and as lively as can be. In other words, she's darn good at it. But, opportunities like these will become more rare in the near future. It gives my husband Dave and I another chance to be young at heart. We can't let these moments slip through our fingers like sand. As we journey through this life, it's another reminder of what I was born to do - for example, to paint and be a grandparent.
We watched a classic Disney flick called "The Apple Dumpling Gang", which Dave and I shared many years ago with our own kids. Most of you are probably familiar with the movie, but for those who aren't, here it is in a real nutshell. The story takes place in the old wild west where no one wants three young orphans. It's not until the kids discover a huge amount of gold in a mine they've inherited, that everyone and their brother wants to adopt them. The two main characters, who can't stand each other at the beginning, grow fond of each other as well as the kids. Of course, before everything works out in the end, there are twists and turns, but finally they all live happily ever after. The bottom line with this movie is, you never know where life is going to take you, and along the way, one of your true purposes is usually revealed.
Another case in point - 30+ years ago, I never dreamed I would be living along the ocean in Maine, in my studio, mentoring my grand-daughter in art. While my husband was out doing some much needed errands (like getting more food in the house for this 10-year old to eat), my grand-daughter and I moved tables and chairs in my studio and began to create. First, it was collage. Then, it was making some clothes and a blanket for her dolls. A few hours later, we all attended a monthly "art lab" at the local contemporary art museum. Our grand-daughter has come to love these labs, mainly because she can get creative while following an extremely loose set of rules. Sounds a lot like her grandmother...
Creating is a miracle of life. We celebrate this miracle all week - whether it be from painting, to making meals with love, to entertaining a 10-year old. When you do what you are born to do - which is a great many things - miracles do happen.
Until next time,
The Miracle Painter,
Jill
No comments:
Post a Comment