Tuesday, February 02, 2021

The Pasture with the Trees in the Background

It's always affirming when one of my paintings strikes a note or stirs a memory with a viewer. In this particular instance, a beautiful soul, my friend Lisa, sent me a charming reason why she was so attracted to this particular painting, which, with her permission, I've included below.  

You won’t believe this.... I grew up on a ranch in Oklahoma, and one of my favorite places to stop with my horse to take a break in the shade was in a pasture that had a small stand of trees like yours on the left and then a couple of other trees to the right. It looks exactly like my spot. I would tie my horse to one of the trees and sit in the shade to eat an apple, a bag of Fritos, and have a soft drink choice of the day; Dr. Pepper, Nehi Grape Soda, or Orange Crush. I love to remember sitting with my back against the tree, feeling the soothing, dry breeze, hearing the rustle of the leaves, sharing my apple with my horse, taking in the brilliant blue sky and all of the greenness around me, and imagining what the future might hold, back when life was uncomplicated. These days, when I have grueling medical tests, I practice mental imagery and go back in my mind to my most secure and peaceful places -- this is one of them.

Our ranch was in the foothills of the Ozarks and the land was emerald green in the summer. The colors in your painting bring the vivid green hues and lusciousness of summers at the ranch in Oklahoma back into my mind. It is very moving that it has an uncanny resemblance – number of trees, the approach I used to make on my horse to that location -- it really looks like my stand of trees plus the two spare ones to the side! My family sold the ranch a while back, but if I ever make it for a visit I’ll drive out to that pasture and take a picture to send you. Identical.

My own artist's statement encompasses the belief that art is beauty in ordinary moments. Being gently reminded that life is full of small beauties....as simple as sitting under a copse of trees in the heat of summer, hearing the rustle of leaves in a gentle wind, or noticing an expansive blue sky or lush green pastures is worth capturing in any format, whether in the beautiful prose of a friend, or in a two dimensional format, like a painting. May we all recognize and celebrate that our lives are filled with ordinary beauty, because that, my friends, in my humble opinion, is art. 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My chemotherapy treatments...

I'm going back to share my experience now because the emotional pain and suffering I had from breast cancer has subsided. I still cry when I share my story, but I no longer feel like a victim of cancer.
In June 2005, I started chemotherapy. My oncologist recommended I start chemo first then have surgery. I had to undergo 8 rounds of chemo, once every two weeks. It was called dose-dense. I was on three rounds of AC, three rounds of Taxotere, then the rest on Taxol. I can still remember it like it was just yesterday. The first round of chemo wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I wasn't that sick. I was thinking I can do this. Chemo was not that bad. Boy, was I wrong. The second round hit me hard. My red blood cells were low so I was given a shot of Procrit. I normally got sick on the third day. I would go in for treatment on a Thursday, get the Procrit shot on Friday (if necessary), and then sick in bed for 3-5 days. My next round, I didn't get the Procrit shot. I still feel sick, but not as sick as the last round. When I got really sick on my next round after getting the Procrit shot, I realized the shot was making me feel worse. So I keep searching for natural herbs then I came across Dr Itua herbal center who cure disease like Herpes,Cancer,Men & Women Infertility,Love Spell,Body Pain,Parkinson,ALS,MS,Diabetes,Hepatitis,COPD Dr Itua was the only solution to my condition so I purchase his herbal medicine and I finished the treatment complete as I was instructed without surgeon I got cured, I asked him what will I do to give my thanks then he ask me to testify about his work so reason for me dropping this on here to help someone out there with health challenge, Thank God! Dr Itua was a lot better.

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