Thursday, March 14, 2013

From surrender to serenity...

I'm feeling that delicious blend of nervous and excited this morning: I am taking paintings in this afternoon, for the first time, to the gallery that's been showing my photos for the last ten years. 

It's for an upcoming exhibit, entitled "Setting Sail: Artists at Sea," which is certainly a broad enough theme to encompass the anxiety of a newly emerging painter.  But of course I'm also bringing in samples of a whole bunch of boat and water related photographs and photo collages, including this one, which I don't even remember creating...

But it's a delightful representation of the mixed emotions I'm feeling about this whole adventure -- the terrifying powerlessness of being swept over the falls and yet the utter serenity of the cormorant drying its wings.  And perhaps it's a good analogy for the spiritual life, as well: the sense of surrender to some larger force, and yet the calm center that arises within us over time as a result of that surrender...

1 comment:

Maureen said...

Well, that title certainly carries more than a single meaning! It should be interesting to see what is selected for the exhibit.

Wishing you a successful show.