My new Samara Series drops on Wednesday, October 28, at 9 a.m. PT | 12 p.m. ET. Nine one-of-a-kind, not-to-be-reproduced mobiles will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Check out the full series here.
***
The painting is titled, “Hello lover, I mean lumberjack.” And although I asked to the artist, I still don't know why. But I love it ... the title perhaps more than the painting; a story the stretches far beyond canvas.
Sarah McMurray, the artist, was fiercely creative – a writer, a poet, and painter. She was even more committed to helping women and girls become catalysts for change. She died of a rare sarcoma cancer shortly after I bought this painting in 2014. She was 31.
Her painting hangs directly in front of my trainer (bike on rollers) in my office. When I am “suffering” during a workout, I remind myself how lucky I am to be here, that everything is temporary - even us.
Ever since I bought that painting, I’ve wanted to create narrative titles for my mobiles; titles that read more like mini-stories or character studies. This Samara Series seemed a good place to start. And it was fun trying to pack as much into a title as I could – scientific names for the trees, how they show in various myths, personifications of key characteristics, etc. – but mostly the titles are just silly.
The mobile here is named “Ash.” But her full title is “Natasha Asherah Ashton III, the Cosmic Connector, Ancient Anchor, Sweetest of Souls, Always Believed You Are Never Too Old to Enter a New Season of Life, But She Has Completely Forgotten What She Intended to Do Once She Got There.”
Be sure to visit the full series to see all the kooky names in the series.
Thank you, Sarah, for reminding me on the daily to live more fully and to try to never take anything for granted.
What can you find gratitude for today?