Please click on paintings to view larger.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

The Joy of Unpredictability

"Passing Through Queens" - 12x24" - Oil on linen
Juried into the 2012 OPA Regional Exhibition and awarded Best Landscape in the 2013 AIRS Annual International Representational Show.

Do you ever find that in your painting world, and in life - when things start to go sideways your response is to get constricted and anxious? And that this is usually followed by focusing on what you don't like about what's unfolding, and how you need to fix it, change it or stop it?

In my coaching practice I often work with my clients around developing the skill of flowing versus resisting when the wheels start falling off. This is a tool that serves us in every aspect of our lives, and I recently had a great chance to work with it myself.

The Curve Ball

I was in New York city with a few friends and we set out one evening to go to a Broadway show. We decided that taking the subway would be infinitely faster than trying to get a cab at rush hour, and headed down to the nearest station to jump on a train.

During the ride some lovely New Yorkers (don't let them tell you they're not friendly - and they will try to) engaged with us in a conversation that led to the fact that we were on the wrong train, going in the opposite direction of Broadway. Yep, we were headed for Queens, speeding farther away by the second from our $200 seats for a show that started in 30 minutes.

The Choice

This was certainly a situation that warranted panic, and one of my companions slowly, quietly took charge of that department, while also managing to join forces with the other who had taken on the necessary role of recalculating the steps needed to get us to the show on time, with a grace and composure that was admirable I might add.

Since these two roles were covered, I opted for embracing the experience of being lost in New York City, hurtling entirely away from the intended direction of travel, and blissfully uncertain if we would make it to the show or have some other wonderful adventure in its place. Into the land of wild curiosity, wide open to possibility - exactly where the really great stuff happens.

The Magic

As we leapt off the train at Queens and were racing down the platform to catch our next train, we were gifted with the sight of the gorgeous evening sun shining through the city and bouncing off the tracks, wrapped up in a moment of perfect composition that we were running at top speed away from in order to get somewhere else.

I was fortunate enough to have my camera with me and managed to capture the critical details on the fly. I LOVED painting this piece, my first of New York, and one that wouldn't be if we hadn't gotten lost. In the end we made the show, and I got one of my favourite pieces of reference from the trip. And now to top it off, it's been juried into a really great show.

Always good to roll with the magic.

24 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing that story. A great reminder to go with the flow. And what an amazing painting! Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely painting Liz. Really like it alot.

    Laila

    ReplyDelete
  3. Enjoy the beauty of a detour. Words to live by. Great painting!

    ReplyDelete
  4. My first thought was...holy crap Liz climbed on top of a train!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love the story and painting Liz. Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is marvelous painting - congratulations on its acceptance into the OPA show!

    Love the story; I've had similar situations happen to me where a deviation in some form resulted in a most unexpected gift. Thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fabulous example of "going with the flow". Loved the story, the reactions and the outcome!

    ReplyDelete
  8. PS
    The painting is fabulous and congratulations on its acceptance to OPA Regional!

    Oh, and which show did you see?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Alice! - We saw "The Best Man" with James Earl Jones, John Laroquette, Eric McCormack, Candice Bergen and Angela Landsbury. Outstanding!

      Delete
  9. The painting is outstanding -and the story inspiring! Thanks for sharing! What a great reminder to live in the moment.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the painting...it sparks my curiosity in several ways....the sign, the vanishing track, the distant buildings. I also enjoy your writing style and the personal way the story was told. Oh, and getting into the show ain't bad either.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The painting is stunning and the story of your adventure is so perfect and one I will try to remember when I fall into being the one in charge of the panic department. Reminds me of a trip to Costa Rica that I had carefully planned ahead of time. The best part of the trip was the segment where everything fell apart which led to going off on an amazing adventure of discovery and delight better than anything I could have planned.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The painting is stunning and the story of your adventure is so perfect and one I will try to remember when I fall into being the one in charge of the panic department. Reminds me of a trip to Costa Rica that I had carefully planned ahead of time. The best part of the trip was the segment where everything fell apart which led to going off on an amazing adventure of discovery and delight better than anything I could have planned.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks everyone! Love how many people are writing here and via email to say they have also experienced magic in thwarted plans. Why not just give ourselves to it? :-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. The painting is reflective of finding beauty in anything.....it is full of hope, pathos, yearning and the mystery of city life. Beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, that's awesome Susan - who knew all that was in there?

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a great painting! So rich and warm!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Amazing the transformation that soft evening light made to a hard, industrial cityscape...Amazing that relaxing into the "flow" gave view to a glorious moment but also gave the world that shared gem to keep! Pondering on that....Thanks, Liz, and congratulatons!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow, you guys are writing some fabulous comments in response to this painting - you all rock!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Incredible depth in this, Liz! You sure rose up to grab the Silver Lining!

    Congrats on being juried into the OPA Regional!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thanks Liz! Loved reading your story; I think I would have been the one of the group to enjoy the "Now" also.
    Love your grateful attitude!
    -Stephanie
    p.s. Enjoy your week in the Bugaboos! Maybe someday I can justify paying for such a trip!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Beautiful painting. You captured the time of day, and the magic of a path to... somewhere. Love the story, and your ability to let go in the moment. Wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I have seen this sign hundreds of times as I grew up in Astoria and rode the trains. This is an amazing painting!
    What a fabulous job.

    ReplyDelete