Feeling Adrift?
Today I am writing about something we may all be feeling a bit of right now. That lost-at-sea feeling of being totally untethered and floating along without a clear direction or destination. Feeling adrift.
With so much uncertainty around us, it can be easy to feel like you’ve lost control. What I’m learning is that good things can happen when we allow ourselves to wander.
To those of you who know me and my need for planning, structure, and organization, yes, I did just say that! Bits of time where we relieve ourselves of the control so many of us relish can be daunting and scary, but from the experiences I’ve had over the past few years, I’m certain it can lead to remarkable, unanticipated discoveries. I also know its easier said than done.
A while back, a truly amazing friend cautioned me about over-planning for an upcoming trip. He told me that occasionally opting for an uncharted path would allow me to discover things I hadn’t even known were there to discover. He was right!
I got lost in Budapest and ended up walking down a lovely cobblestone street surrounded by old world architecture and window boxes overflowing with colorful blooms. At the end of the street was a quaint open air coffee shop jammed into a tiny space between buildings. I sat and enjoyed some refreshments and watched as couples strolled by, families jaunted along, and people of all sorts moved through at varying speeds. It was an unplanned and unforeseen delight! Thank you, Ed!
The paintings that accompany today’s post are all a style where paint is set adrift. The first, called Drifting Sun and Sea is one of my favorites! I had to allow each color of paint to determine its path, alone or in combination with one or more of the other colors. Each color chose its destination and there were places that none of the colors dared to venture. That untouched space is what makes the painting so attractive to me. Colors and patterns are enhanced and highlighted by spaces where there is absence of color. Ingenious! (Ha! The paint, not me!)
The second is a painting of the northern lights - a request from my granddaughter. Again, the paints chose their paths, their companions, and their destinations. Who am I to tell the northern lights what they should look like?
The third painting is one I have not put into a collection yet. I am experimenting with colors and movement and will see what comes of it. I’ll keep you posted! In the meantime, hang loose, allow yourself to be adrift at times, and look for unforeseen discoveries of delight.