In this painting, I’ve placed not one but two figures. They are so small in relation to the giant sequoias that you might miss them at first. Do you see them? Their identities and their relationship to each other are left to the imagination.
Explorers. 32″ x 32″, Oil on Canvas, © 2015 Cedar Lee
Over the past few years, I’ve felt lost more often than not.
3 1/2 years ago, my family made the trans-continental move from Maryland to California, then this year, another 1,000-mile move to Oregon, all for an array of reasons…practical reasons as well as dream-chasing reasons. This year I’ve experienced several major losses. And through it all, I’ve been the mother to two very young children while doing whatever I can to keep pushing myself to create art and to grow my business.
There has been a lot of upheaval and constant evaluation of priorities. In my case, I do believe that having to make many difficult choices is the sign of a wonderfully full life. And I remind myself that getting lost can be half the fun of the journey!
Explorers. 32″ x 32″, Oil on Canvas, © 2015 Cedar Lee
This is what was on my mind as I painted this colorful scene, with a carpet of gigantic blue ferns on the forest floor, the two tiny figures walking side by side, their heads thrown back as they take in their majestic surroundings. The entire space is absolutely flooded with color and golden light.
Detail from painting by Cedar Lee: Explorers. 32″ x 32″, Oil on Canvas, © 2015 Cedar Lee
Living in the moment, and letting go of all the potential outcomes of my plans, has always been a challenge for me. I want to be like these two people more of the time. I want to be a happy traveler, feeling the wonder as I take it in, and sharing this wonder with my companions.
Painting this grand and epic imagery has been changing the way I perceive my own life, and the way I see myself moving through life. Sure, there’s every reason to feel helpless and lost. But it’s also true that I am a daring adventurer, a creator of my own path, an explorer.
The amazing discoveries of new horizons in your life can be compounded when they are shared with others–family, friends, colleagues. Human connection is everything.
Are we ever really lost, when we are together?
Detail from painting by Cedar Lee: Explorers. 32″ x 32″, Oil on Canvas, © 2015 Cedar Lee
