Wednesday, March 4, 2009

It's a beautiful world out there

Where Are the Horses? Oil on stretched canvas, 8x8
please contact me for price and shipping/delivery info
Two Internet friends, Sheila Tajima (http://sheilatajima.blogspot.com/) and r. garriott (http://rgarriott.blogspot.com/) left comments on yesterday's post about my energy, my production, and their comments got me thinking.

I spent 22 years working inside, hurrying, making deadlines, pushing all sorts of limits and urging others to do so, too. And for what? As one newspaper friend said recently, journalism is literally killing the people who love it the most.

So now, in what might be my own version of basket-weaving, painting outdoors sustains me. Yes, I paint in awful weather. I get cold, I get hot, I get sweaty and thirsty and hungry, cold and lonely and bug-bitten and sunburned. I paint quickly, happy to exchange thought and deliberation for passion and urgency.

Painting outdoors feels like life to me. It seems to supply me with much of what I need to live what feels like a meaningful existence. It's not that I live to paint. It feels, at least now, that I paint to live.

"Places You Know / small pieces" opens Friday at the Gallery at Lighthouse, 744 Long Hill Road (Route 12) Groton. That's the Groton Shopping Plaza. The gallery is right next to Arrow Party and Paper. The show opens with a reception Friday, from 5-8 p.m., and will be up for the month of March. Please come!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow Carrie! You're like the Jimmy Stewart in "It's a wonderful life" morphed with G.I. Jane! I so admire your passion. It seems like its been boxed in so long, now it's coming out in one continuous plume of smoke from a bonfire of creativity. HUGS!

Unknown said...

Oh,...I was so enthralled by your passion, I forgot to tel you I love this painting!!! The way the berm meanders down the side and those colorful trees! Wonderful!!

Robin Weiss said...

I think I understand how you feel Carrie!...Your passion certainly comes out in your painting! And this ones a beauty!

loriann signori said...

Toast to you darling!!!! Life is too short. Relish it in all its glory.
Thanks for taking the time to share your beautiful paintings for the show in Groton. I will try to get up that way...what is the ending date of the show?