This Way, My Love

My friend Johny says, "Art is personal," and it is. I remember for many years refusing to even think about selling my art, because I felt I would be selling a part of me. I was always willing to give it away, but selling it just didn't feel right. Of course, I have changed my mind, and realize that people are willing to give something in return for something they like, some personal part of me that speaks to them somehow.
I enjoy painting, and I enjoy the joy it brings others, even if they don't buy. Art speaks to people, conjures up strong emotions, and goes to the soul. I've written before about my profound connection with the art of Bill Zaner when I first moved here. And I have talked about the spiritual connections I have made with the artists I have met through the gallery.
Linda and I have seen and admired lots of art, but it was just recently that we were moved enough to acquire apiece of art that truly moved us. I may get a little transparent here... we have been married over 30 years now, and as any married couple can attest, it's not all rainbows and unicorns. There have been some really hard years when we didn't know if we would make it. I sometimes make a joke that we he been married for  7 wonderful years - plus 13 bad ones, 3 years of hell, and the rest we just got by, but a total of 30.
So....we saw this sculpture, and the title is "This Way, My Love." When Johny told me the artist explained it to be one person being stuck or trapped, and their partner , the one on the outside, could say, "This way, my love," to show the way out, I literally broke down in tears, and realized how much that connected to my relationship with Linda. Each one of us has been one or the other in that sculpture. And at times throughout the years, the bird in the cage has been us as a couple, and there have been other couples who stood with us through some horrible times. Others have been there to encourage us, and help us find a way out. Many times, we have been the bird on the outside to help other couples see a way out.
And many, many times, our faith in God has been the bird on the outside to show us the way out. Either way, whether we have been led, or used to lead another, the Spirit leads us into relationships to encourage others and be encouraged by others. We are made for relationships, to help, to bring strength and comfort, to care enough to say, "This way, my love." We are shown a way out of our trappings in order to help others when they are trapped. It's the reason for good relationships.
This piece of art brought us both to tears, and brought up deep feelings of awe and gratefulness. It is through art that one expresses themselves, and through art another connects with that expression. Linda and I hope to meet the artist, Bien Irazarry, when we visit Santa Fe next month. I hope we can express to him how this sculpture not only spoke to us, but went straight to our soul.
And through each painting I do, somehow I hope I can speak to and connect with someone else's soul. If only to encourage, and maybe say, "This way, my love."