Eucharisteo

Eucharisteo
Oil on Stretched Canvas
24x30

Eucharisteo is a beautiful word, simply meaning gratitude or thanksgiving.  Today I'm feeling healthy and whole and I'm grateful.  Back in April, I had an unexpected thing happen to me.  I caught the flu.  The kind that involves vomiting and that kind of thing.  Usually people rebound from this after about three days.  But I wasn't getting any better.

My husband had previously had the same thing but recovered quickly.  And he kept telling me that I should at least sit up, not lay down.  Long story short, my kidneys had stopped functioning and fortunately I got to the hospital in time.  After four days, I was discharged but the recovery took over a month.  

Now I'm back to normal and feel extremely grateful.  Eucharisteo.

Gratitude in Turbulent Times

        

Early December

Oil on Canvas

16x20

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I'm reminded of all the bounty in my life.  It's been a turbulent year for this nation but not one without hope.  Some days it's hard getting through the morning newspaper reading about the stressful economic pressures that people are experiencing.  Of course, this affects the art world too.

My husband and I are not wealthy, by any means, but we have our health, close relationships with family and friends, a cozy modest home and a certain degree of stability in our lives.  Our children are at a point in their lives where they are trying to establish themselves in their chosen careers.  My son has a good job.  My daughter decided she needs her Master of Library Science degree to get the kind of job she wants, so she's going back to school.  

The point is...we have have more than enough.  

I plan on putting in a lot of studio time in 2009.  I'm grateful to be an oil painting artist.  I can't imagine wanting a different career.  Lately, there has been all kinds of advice to artists on how to survive the economic downturn we are all experiencing.  Mostly the advice has been to use this time to improve on the art we are making.  I believe this is sound advice.  Because when things get better, the world have have even more beautiful art to view.

Happy Thanksgiving!