Blooming Ocotillo ~ Oil on Canvas 20 x 24 ~ Private Collection
Standing at the kitchen sink earlier this week, staring out the window, I was reminded of a huge A-HA I had several months ago. The desert is full of hundreds of varieties of cacti. One of my favorites is the ocotillo. The blooms are vibrant red and top the end of each spine with glee. I painted this ocotillo last fall from a photo taken by a friend. I love the sense of space, the blue desert sky and the blooms reaching towards the sun.
Back to staring out the kitchen window, I was enjoying a daydream when my eyes focused in on the ocotillo that is directly in front of the window. Recognition occurred like a slap in the face. It was the exact same image I had painted months prior to my move.
Walking over to the back window, I was again struck by the similarity of this view with the painting below from the same series.
Mountain Majesty ~ Oil on Panel ~ 8″ x 10″ ~ Price Available Upon Request
Most everywhere you look in Palm Springs, you get a view of the mountain but with buildings. When I was taking photographs, I was looking for an unobstructed view. Obviously, with painting, you can just edit out, which I did. But up where I am NOW, there are unobstructed views. And this is basically what I see out my window.
I do a lot of reading about goals, desires and having the life you want. There is a reason people do vision boards. When I returned from France, my desire for wide open space, big desert views and beauty was primary. I kept that in the forefront of my mind.
When I found myself in this new space, completely surprised by the unexpected opportunity, I had so much gratitude for the unknown forces that conspired to get me here. It took some time before I made the connection but on some level, it feels like I painted my desire, my next step, into being.
For me, this is the ultimate in life: using the creative process to live more fully into who you really are.