[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Content” module_id=”content” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_width_px__hover=”1080px” custom_width_px__hover_enabled=”1080px” custom_width_percent__hover=”80%” custom_width_percent__hover_enabled=”80%” global_colors_info=”{}” make_fullwidth__hover=”off” make_fullwidth__hover_enabled=”off” use_custom_width__hover=”off” use_custom_width__hover_enabled=”off” width_unit__hover=”on” width_unit__hover_enabled=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.17.6″ custom_margin=”-16px||||false|false” custom_padding=”33px||||false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1280px” custom_width_px__hover=”1080px” custom_width_px__hover_enabled=”1080px” custom_width_percent__hover=”80%” custom_width_percent__hover_enabled=”80%” global_colors_info=”{}” use_custom_width__hover=”off” use_custom_width__hover_enabled=”off” width_unit__hover=”on” width_unit__hover_enabled=”on” make_fullwidth__hover=”off” make_fullwidth__hover_enabled=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”7262e956-c376-4aa6-9642-c413f71527d0″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”1.8em” width=”100%” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”13px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”55px” header_font_size_last_edited=”off|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”]
I named “Leap of Faith” before I painted it, and I realize now that the figure is less leaping and more just walking. Strolling even. But one foot in front of the other down some uncertain path, how often does that feel like nose diving into the abyss?
I used to think of faith as some kind of magical protection against calamity and misfortune, but I have come to think of it less as believing that what I hope for will transpire and more that no matter what happens, no matter what is erased or bruised, battered or destroyed, that love remains, is immutable. We will be okay even if, even when, we aren’t.
I’m figuring out some things, and looking to leave some of the more comfortable paths that I’ve painstakingly cleared for those less certain. I see so much opportunity for growth in change and so many cliffs to fall right off of.
I’m not a fan of posts that are intentionally vague, and yet my impulse here is to be just that. But I’ll take a leap, resist that urge, and share with you one of the walks I’m taking that feels very much like a leap.
For a while now, I’ve been thinking about significantly cutting back on the live wedding paintings I take on so that I can continue to develop the work that matters most to me and give more of my energy to the gallery. When I write it down, it doesn’t seem all that scary or earth-shattering, but when I think about it, my stomach does somersaults for reasons that warrant their own blog post.
A couple days ago, I came across a 1986 interview with Oprah Winfrey in which Mike Wallace asks her about her show which is just getting started nationally. She says, “It will do well” to which he responds, “And if it doesn’t?” She doesn’t skip a beat: “If it doesn’t, I will still do well. I will do well because I am not defined by a show. I think we are defined by the way we treat ourselves and the way we treat other people. It would be wonderful to be acclaimed as this talk show host who made it. But if it doesn’t happen, there are other important things in my life.”
We know how that story ends, and, in comparison, I can’t help but hear the lines from T.S. Eliot’s “Prufrock” ringing in my ears– “I am no prophet — and here’s no great matter…” but still, here I am wondering if I can adopt her attitude. If it doesn’t do well, I will still do well– a mantra of faith not in outcomes but in identity.
If you’ve ever taken a leap (or stroll) of faith or are contemplating one, I’d be honored to know about it.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Comments” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1280px” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”003e9429-8e11-4d9e-968b-8881092bbf81″ header_2_font=”Vidaloka||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#161616″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.35em” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jb21tZW50X2NvdW50Iiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiPGgyPiIsImFmdGVyIjoiIENvbW1lbnRzIDwvaDI+IiwibGlua190b19jb21tZW50c19wYWdlIjoib2ZmIn19@[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”20px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}” padding_tablet=”0px||” padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding__hover=”|||” padding_phone=”0px||”][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1280px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_comments show_avatar=”off” show_count=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ form_field_background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” form_field_text_color=”#161616″ header_level=”h4″ header_font=”Work Sans|700|||||||” header_font_size=”18px” header_line_height=”1.4em” title_font=”Vidaloka||||||||” form_field_font_size=”16px” form_field_line_height=”1.8em” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”16px” button_text_color=”#161616″ button_bg_color=”#e3e1dd” button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”0px” button_font=”Vidaloka||||||||” button_custom_padding=”10px|24px|10px|24px|true|true” button_text_size_tablet=”17px” button_text_size_phone=”16px” button_text_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” border_radii_fields=”on|0px|0px|0px|0px” border_width_all_fields=”1px” border_color_all_fields=”#E3E1DD” form_background_color=”rgba(26,10,56,0.03)” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-70e8f1e6-78eb-4f52-a811-0c9b614afdc2%22:%91%93}” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off|hover”][/et_pb_comments][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Author” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_nav prev_text=”Previous Post” next_text=”Next Post” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”|700|||||||” title_text_color=”#E09900″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_post_nav][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|20px||20px|false|true” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#E09900″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJXcml0dGVuIGJ5ICIsImFmdGVyIjoiIiwibmFtZV9mb3JtYXQiOiJkaXNwbGF5X25hbWUiLCJsaW5rIjoib2ZmIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl9hcmNoaXZlIn19@” image=”https://denisehopkinsfineart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/201-DENISE_HOPKINS_COMMERCIAL-scaled.jpg” image_icon_width=”100px” content_max_width=”100%” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”title,content” _module_preset=”default” header_font=”Vidaloka||||||||” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” border_radii_image=”on|100px|100px|100px|100px” image_max_width=”100px” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfYmlvIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_button button_url=”https://denisehopkinsfineart.com/shop/” button_text=”Shop Art” _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” background_layout=”dark” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_button][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Related Posts” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0|0px|54px|0px|false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1280px” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”003e9429-8e11-4d9e-968b-8881092bbf81″ text_text_color=”#ea8a90″ header_2_font=”Vidaloka||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#161616″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.35em” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”]
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_4,1_2,1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1280px” custom_width_px__hover=”1080px” custom_width_px__hover_enabled=”1080px” custom_width_percent__hover=”80%” custom_width_percent__hover_enabled=”80%” global_colors_info=”{}” make_fullwidth__hover=”off” make_fullwidth__hover_enabled=”off” use_custom_width__hover=”off” use_custom_width__hover_enabled=”off” width_unit__hover=”on” width_unit__hover_enabled=”on”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_blog posts_number=”1″ include_categories=”93″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_categories=”off” show_pagination=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_level=”h4″ header_font=”Vidaloka||||||||” header_text_color=”#161616″ header_line_height=”1.4em” body_line_height=”1.8em” meta_font=”|600|||||||” meta_text_color=”#E2C29D” meta_font_size=”12px” meta_line_height=”1.8em” read_more_font=”Vidaloka||||on||||” read_more_text_color=”#161616″ read_more_font_size=”16px” read_more_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”|||0px||” border_width_all=”0px” global_colors_info=”{}” body_letter_spacing__hover=”0px” body_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”0px” body_text_shadow_style__hover=”none” body_text_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” body_text_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” body_text_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” border_radii__hover=”on||||” border_radii__hover_enabled=”on||||” border_radii_fullwidth__hover=”on||||” border_radii_fullwidth__hover_enabled=”on||||”][/et_pb_blog][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_blog posts_number=”1″ include_categories=”93″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_categories=”off” show_pagination=”off” offset_number=”2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ header_level=”h4″ header_font=”Vidaloka||||||||” header_text_color=”#161616″ header_line_height=”1.4em” body_line_height=”1.8em” meta_font=”|600|||||||” meta_text_color=”#E2C29D” meta_font_size=”12px” meta_line_height=”1.8em” read_more_font=”Vidaloka||||on||||” read_more_text_color=”#161616″ read_more_font_size=”16px” read_more_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”|||0px||” border_width_all=”0px” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” body_letter_spacing__hover=”0px” body_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”0px” body_text_shadow_style__hover=”none” body_text_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” body_text_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” body_text_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” border_radii__hover=”on||||” border_radii__hover_enabled=”on||||” border_radii_fullwidth__hover=”on||||” border_radii_fullwidth__hover_enabled=”on||||”][/et_pb_blog][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_blog posts_number=”1″ include_categories=”214″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_categories=”off” show_pagination=”off” offset_number=”3″ _builder_version=”4.17.6″ header_level=”h4″ header_font=”Vidaloka||||||||” header_text_color=”#161616″ header_line_height=”1.4em” body_line_height=”1.8em” meta_font=”|600|||||||” meta_text_color=”#E2C29D” meta_font_size=”12px” meta_line_height=”1.8em” read_more_font=”Vidaloka||||on||||” read_more_text_color=”#161616″ read_more_font_size=”16px” read_more_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”|||0px||” border_width_all=”0px” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” body_letter_spacing__hover=”0px” body_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”0px” body_text_shadow_style__hover=”none” body_text_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” body_text_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” body_text_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” border_radii__hover=”on||||” border_radii__hover_enabled=”on||||” border_radii_fullwidth__hover=”on||||” border_radii_fullwidth__hover_enabled=”on||||”][/et_pb_blog][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
September 15, 2022
Share Post
“If You Want to go Far” 24×30 inches, oil on canvas I started this month with a bike, and...
“The Bud Stands for All Things” 24×24 inches, oil on paper I discovered this poem last week by Galway Kinnell...
“Follow Your Intuition” 9×12 inches, oil on paper My art studio is a 300 square foot storage room underneath our...
Become a member and enjoy early access to new releases, exclusive discounts, and a new wallpaper for your computer or tablet. Elevate your art journey with us.
This following document sets forth the Privacy Policy for this website. We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Crh), which sets out a number of principles concerning the privacy of individuals using this website.
We collect Non-Personally Identifiable Information from visitors to this Website. Non-Personally Identifiable Information is information that cannot by itself be used to identify a particular person or entity, and may include your IP host address, pages viewed, browser type, Internet browsing and usage habits, advertisements that you click on, Internet Service Provider, domain name, the time/date of your visit to this Website, the referring URL and your computer’s operating system.
Participation in providing your email address in return for an offer from this site is completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to disclose your information. You may unsubscribe at any time so that you will not receive future emails.
Your personal information that we collect as a result of you purchasing our products & services, will NOT be shared with any third party, nor will it be used for unsolicited email marketing or spam. We may send you occasional marketing material in relation to our design services. What Information Do We Collect? If you choose to correspond with us through email, we may retain the content of your email messages together with your email address and our responses.