endlessness, mixed media on birch, 5 3/4 x 8 3/4 inches
While I was working on this mixed media piece last Sunday, I was listening to NPR and there was this young girl talking. I caught her story in the middle so I don’t know what her name is or even how old. I’m thinking maybe 12 years old or younger. She was talking about her life and feeling like she just drifts by. Her voice was so clear and young, a little unsure, but still clear. I felt like her words could have been spoken by a 12 year old me. She said how she felt like if she had a good circle of friends then maybe she would stop drifting, then maybe she would feel anchored.
I felt that way then and still feel that way now at times. Less emphasis on the friends, and more wanting to be near my family. She went on to say that she loves to go to the beach. Not a sunny beach, but rather a gray and windy beach. (me too!) She liked to stand there and look out at the ocean because she “loved the endlessness of it all…”.
The photo that I used above was taken at Golden Gardens in Seattle last March. This park overlooks the Puget Sound and faces the peninsula. The trees are right on the beach. I remember when I took the photo and feeling in love with that spot. The grove of trees standing stoicly in front of the cold gray blue of the Sound. A feeling of endlessness on top of endlessless.
The little girl ended that sentence though by saying, “I love it, but at the same it kind of scares me. Like I can get lost in it”. I understand that feeling. I searched for an audio recording of the segment, but couldn’t find it. I would love to hear it from the beginning.
Wow. If you find a link to that segment, let me know. And that painting is totally awesome. I love it.
love this painting. it totally made me catch my breath!
and as for the audio recording. if you know what time you were listening, you could maybe know what show you were listening to and search from there? (you may have already tried this). i love to search things out, so let me know if i can help! 🙂
Thanks tara and leah. I haven’t had a chance to search again. I did try going through the archives, but didn’t have time to do a thorough search. HOpefully I’ll find it some day!
Totally transports me, as all of your work seems to have that affect on me. I like how you are always able to take me there. Even if ‘there’ isn’t the same ‘there’ as yours, , it still is ‘there’.
I know that feeling as well. That sounds like a neat segment. I would love to hear it. This painting, is of course, glorious as always. Love the mood.
That sounds like “This American Life” which airs on Sunday evenings in most markets. The beauty of that show is that it is available as podcast for free on i-tunes. I’m a fe weeks behind on the episodes, so I can’t tell you if that was the one.
bridgette, your post moved me. and that collage is pure visual poetry. your work really does STAND OUT.