Bringing Past Treasures Along Into The New Beginnings

There have been so many new beginnings over the past month. My art-making and life feel full of new possibilities. There’s also so much I treasure from previous chapters and want to make sure to bring with me into this next chapter of my art (and life.)

Today I’m thinking about the Beach Therapy collection I created in South Africa. I loved exploring through the painting process how these beach landscapes, skies, and weather (especially so-called “bad weather”) invited me into being more fully in my body, and feeling stronger, more alive, calmer, and a little more comfortable with life’s uncertainties. The landscapes might change – we’ll see. But I suspect my interest in these themes of landscape, light, movement, and weather (both literal and metaphorical) will endure.

There are some treasures from the previous chapter that I couldn’t take with me to the Netherlands, like my wonderful nephrologist, Dr Trevor Gerntholtz. I do get to keep and enjoy the results of his healing work everyday though. Which is why I’m especially touched that he and his lovely wife, Mandy, wanted these artworks from my Beach Therapy collection to grace the walls of his Cape Town nephrology practice.

May you all be this lucky to find a doctor like Trevor who, when things are most difficult and scary, will help you to feel stronger, more alive, calmer, and a little more comfortable with life’s uncertainties, and to hold onto the bigger goal of thriving, not just surviving.