Sometimes Reaching is Hard...But Reach We Must...

Big Life - Collage

There are times when life is a song. You know all the words, sing along, and even throw in a few improvised moments with wild abandon. And everything falls into place. Like magic. But we have all experienced times that are challenging. We not only forget the words, but at times the tune. And life seems to be getting smaller, restricted, limited. And this is where I am at the moment.

On the way home from a doctor's appointment I stopped at Starbucks for coffee. I reached into a bin of cup sleeves and pulled out one with the following message:

"Your life is big. Keep reaching." - Oprah Winfrey

Encouraging advice continues on the back: take a few moments to pause and reflect. Teavana and Oprah call it your own personal "steep time". Time to Steep Your Soul.

It was just what I needed to read. Synchronicity? I believe so. And it was enough to get me back to hearing a  bit of the tune...if not the words. I rifled through my box of ephemera. I found a vintage romance magazine. The image of the woman from a 1920's ad was just what I needed. Someone happy, effervescent...dare I say Bubbly? Someone clearly reaching and enjoying life.

The substrate for the collage is a canvas panel. The background is a page from the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper Want Ads circa 1972. Hershey Kiss wrappers, fine art images, tea dyed gauze, a dried petal from an iris plant, tea bags, printed and rubber stamped tissue paper, dictionary text. Acrylic paint sponged and pushed through purchased and hand cut stencils finish the collage.

So, although my life is still not filled with lyrics and a tune, I am hopeful. I know the big life is there. I just need to keep on reaching.