Have you ever been moving through your life, wondering about the big questions? You know – what’s it all about; what’s the point; why, why, why?
My world of late is a constant stream of big questions. I do my best to try and not drown beneath their weight, and I generally manage to pull off a life-saving level of buoyancy. Still, every now and then I look at certain endeavors and feel uncertainty creeping in through the cracks of confidence.
Painting isn’t immune to self-doubt. Yes, I have actual art to hang around my house now. And that is grand in and of itself. (I have so much art I’m able to rotate pieces, much like a gallery. And y’all, that’s pretty fun!) But I still wonder, at times, if I’m actually making art. A little outside validation would go a long way to stroke my scruffy ego…
Well, here it is: my buddies over at Gagnon Cellars have made a label out of one of my paintings!
“Stampede” is a 2008 Syrah from California’s Temecula Valley. Mister and I popped the cork on this wine and had it with a big ol’ rib-eye. The Syrah held up quite nicely, I must say. And I’m not at all ashamed to tell you we finished that bottle with smiles on our well-fed faces.
Gagnon Cellars chose this particular painting for its meaning. “Be the Buffalo” is all about facing life’s challenges, head-on. There’s no getting around adversity. In fact, the only way to move forward is to go straight through some of the gunk. Easy? Nope. Fun? Not even a smidge. But suppression is a killer – sometimes quite literally, y’all. The rough spots suck. There’s no denying it. Dealing with them is the only way to get to the other side. The only way.
If you’re interested in owning this fine wine, that also just happens to feature my art, go to the Gagnon Cellars website and order yourself a bottle. (I think there’s a 20% sale off 3 or more bottles!) Once you receive it, maybe throw some cheese on a board or a steak on the grill. Savor your food and the wine, friends. And think about what it means to “Be the Buffalo.” I know I need to remember that a little more often in my life.
Cheers!