Beauty, Grace and Wonder - 2025

My friend and fellow artist, Cindy Palmer, contacted me last year and asked if I was interested in collaborating on a series with her. I was immediately intrigued and, because it was Cindy who asked, I of course agreed. I’ve always admired and loved Cindy because in all the time I’ve known her she herself has exuded just what the title of this exhibit is called--beauty, grace and wonder.

We decided that she would create a painting, and I would paint one that complimented hers. So, I happily followed her lead which was a unique process to me and very inspiring. I felt very honored to go and collect her pieces one at a time and bring them to my studio to translate into my own language. Our work is very different but also similar in some ways. We both love color and lines, markings and symbols.

The first piece I worked on was the bubble painting—we titled it, “Impermanence”, it could be taken as a negative commentary but for me it’s a reminder to try not to take the moments for granted and that during trying times, like bubbles, they don’t last forever.

The second piece was “The Beholding”, which to me is another word for “Wonder”. To behold something, like a tiny bird that we often take for granted, to truly “see” it as a thing of beauty and to appreciate its gentleness and gracefulness is so moving and enlivening.

The third piece is “The Speech of Angels”, that’s what music is to me. There are no words to describe the sensation of listening to one or more glorious instruments all working together to create a masterpiece. And because I don’t know the first thing about playing an instrument, it truly is wonderous how musicians can create this magic.

The fourth piece is “Wonder-full”, to be full of wonder at the smallest most fragile creations on earth. How they can give us such joy without even awareness of their beauty. So unselfishly just existing, graciously rising to the sun, drinking up the rain, and then satisfied falling back into the earth. So simple and yet so powerful a lesson.

I recently heard a podcast about Wonder. And I had to write down two statements that really struck me. The first is, “We live in a spectrum, when we are over on the far side of the spectrum we are in judgement, we are paralyzed in a state of fear. If we want to work our way out of it, all we have to do is come over to the other side of the spectrum and reacquaint ourselves with curiosity and there we will find wonder.” The second statement is “Wow begets wow. The more we look for and appreciate beauty, grace and wonder, the more we will see of it.