There is an upcoming show, “Plein Air: Cincinnati Reimagined”, at the Eisele Gallery that I appreciate in concept, being a longtime resident and lover of this town Cincinnati. The select artists chose a noted historical artwork for reference that showcased a unique aspect of the city, then sat plein air to recapture the same scene in modern terms, as it looks today.
The only interview that I listened to surrounding this upcoming show, with participating artist Ellina Chetverikova, spoke to me – her reflection on sunsets and twilight.
I’ve always told my family that dusk is my favorite time of day, and regularly try to coax them into a walk or bike ride in it. The sun falls beneath the horizon and the warm yellow outdoor lamps come on, playing against a sky that is still slightly lit with a deep blue sliding into black. It’s a short window – the last phase of twilight before nightfall – but a magical time. Right on the cusp of an ending and a beginning. A brief but special time that, like Ellina suggests, you’re lucky to witness – as one day you will not be able to, and we don’t know when that day will come.
I suppose, with my mother passing recently (along with some neighbors) – and with the constant troubles of Ellina’s homeland, Ukraine (along with our own country’s problems) – that this sense of an impending “end” is on our collective minds. With these things, you start to sense your own mortality: loved ones passing, aging, war, strife, grief… and fear. A lot of life is wrapped up in fear, as we see right now with the most aggressive (and the most lost) people in the world. Fear drives action and inaction, both probably not in the healthiest ways.
I do not fear death, but I do fear inaction. I fear unrealized potential (for others as well). My mother had her accomplishments, but was also seriously gifted in many ways that were ultimately unrealized, not reaching their fullest potential. She struggled with the thought of this too (as indicated by the framed picture hanging in her office, shown here).
Not creating the things that I want to create, or becoming who I want to be – or not even trying – is a fear and mental hurdle. Putting in the labor to see what’s on the other side of the hill, or even just test the waters, sometimes is the hardest part – the blank page syndrome. Unfortunately we are driven by and beholden to the almighty dollar, so if you do choose to climb that fence, the fear that your passions won’t return a living wage is real. But, life is short. Taking a new path is sometimes what leads to the best tomorrow.
Like with dusk – it’s the end of one story… but another sun rises.
