Currents of Life

"Currents of Life" - acrylic on paper,  14" x 16''.  Unframed.  Available here and at Artfinder.


​​In our efforts to make it from day to day, every one of us will catch a wave and fail to catch a wave, and everyone will have a wave crash over them.  And each of us will have to find our way back to shore, where we will try to make sense of both the lift and the crash, and how to go on from there.  - MARK NEPO

Returning to the wisdom of Mark Nepo this week, where he asks us to compare ourselves to paddling surfers, trying to catch a wave.  I am NOT a surfer, but like to think I can mentally do anything, even that.  So cowabunga, let's paddle out there, dear reader!

2018 was a huge wave crash for me.  And I think I lay dizzy on the shore for a long, long time.

Currents of Life

It is both comforting and funny how many people I bumped into in that sandy heap on the shore.  So many stunned surfers in the world. Trying to make sense of things.  A mini crash tribe was formed, and I think each of us became a little less confused when we processed our experiences together.

This wearing away, eroding, shaking up and sifting out - it is a theme oft repeated in my life, and one I hear in the stories shared by others.  We're becoming polished, smooth and silky, like tumbled stones (I had a rock tumbler years ago, and I can tell you, not only do they make a racket, but it takes a LOT of tumbling to make things smooth).  

Maybe this is what it takes to make us both "more resilient and tender" (Nepo again) simultaneously.  

​This piece developed from a gesture during a recent life drawing session.  To me, she depicts perfectly a woman recovering on the shore after a few rows with the currents of life. 

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Huge thanks to all the participants in Sunday's storytelling challenge!  Your comments, emails, texts and phone calls were so very welcome.  And your stories are magnificent.  My amazing intern, Fiona, selected a winner from all the entries (thank goodness I didn't have to pick!)  Congratulations, Dana, your story was the winner!  Pongo is preparing your art print for shipping now.