Who Would've Guessed?

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 14:07:08 CST

Who Would‘ve Guessed?

As with most people, my life is full of things that I never guessed would happen. Here are 10 things that come to mind quickly from the past year that I never expected, some good, some great, some not so great.

1 - I never guessed that the blog entry I wrote in January 2010 would be the only one I wrote the entire year.

2 - I never guessed I would paint so much and photograph so little.

3 - I never guessed that Jonas Gerard, an accomplished artist with work in the Smithsonian, would tell me, “Some people say your stuff looks too much like mine.” (A comment that left me mildly disturbed while my wife thought it was the ultimate compliment.)

4 - I never guessed that I would move to Asheville, then move back to Raleigh because our home didn’t sell.

5 - Perhaps naively, I never guessed that my enthusiasm for my art would ebb as it did, not painting at all from Late-April to Mid-December.

6 - I never dreamed that I would sell about 75% of all my paintings.

7 - I never guessed that I would have retail space in Asheville.

8 - I never guessed that my work would be exhibited at a real estate open house, a restaurant and a coffee shop in Raleigh and Durham.

9 - I never anticipated the late resurgence of my enthusiasm for art after moving back to home to Raleigh.

10 - I never guessed that in spite of these highs and lows, I would be relatively grounded and okay with everything just the way it all worked out.

This looks a lot like a gratitude list for 2010. Even with things that didn’t work out the way I had hoped at the time, some things worked out far better than I had imagined.

Now as I step in to 2011with the benefit of lessons learned from this past year, I wonder what will happen this year, that I never would have guessed.

Take it easy,

Frank

It's Time to Pay Attention to Life's Energy

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:40:14 CST

I remember as a kid wondering how my father grew to be so big. I saw pictures of him as a child but had a hard time imagining the boy in the picture was my father. The passage of time was a concept that I just couldn't understand.

Now at age forty-seven, I understand the passage of time all too well, and after many years of ignoring my creativity I started painting and taking photos in earnest.

The turning point came on a visit to Asheville, NC, to the studio and gallery of Jonas Gerard. I didn't understand abstract painting until I spent some time in his gallery, drinking in the paintings and listing to Jonas' experience in life and painting. Finally, I decided to be present for life, to pay attention (to use a meditative term), and to enjoy the ride a little more. That is how I've chosen to experience this life I've been given, my ride around the sun on this rock we call earth.

For the first time I experienced the artist's energy conveyed through the painting. I walked through Jonas' gallery in awe. Jonas talked about losing fear, not being afraid to make mistakes, about living and loving life. It was a message I needed to hear and I took it to heart.

For me, painting is energy, and I hope it comes through the work on these pages and contributes in some way to help you make your own ride on our rock a happy one.

Frank Rochelle News

Who Would've Guessed?

It's Time to Pay Attention to Life's Energy