WELL, I'LL BE...

BEING THERE oil on canvas 24 x 36" sold

This painting just sold. Went to print out the blog post for the buyer, and whaddya know--no blog. (How did I manage to skip this one, one of my favorites?) Well... here goes, the nick-of-time blog post: There he sits, in the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace (imperial summer residence of the former monarchs of Austria, no less). He is not waiting for anyone; he is not fidgeting, nor chewing gum; he is not listening to music, fiddling on a phone, picking at threads, nor pulling hangnails; he is not doing any of the infinitely small things people do instead of being. There he sits, in solitary splendor, enjoying the sights, smells, sounds, and sensations of that particular moment in that place. Making a memory. Taking it in. It occurred to me that this image is what we mean when we talk about "being in the moment," or being "mindful." And how hard that is, and how infrequently any of us actually manages it. Worth noting. Worth painting. Worth being reminded--by good example. Enjoy the moments.