Up, Up, and Away

I've always identified with art in very personal ways. First it was music that I identified with, singing my soul out to the likes of Mariah Carey, Lauren Hill, and--for a time--the Backstreet Boys. Later, poetry and acting got the best of me, though I would have died before I admitted it to anyone but my mom. It wasn't "cool," but I enjoyed it well enough. I even wrote a few poems of my own, which are horrible, and will never be unearthed.

After high school, my taste in music and performances became more refined, and I now have very specific preferences for each. For instance: I love ballet, but not the opera. Riveting, I know.

When Mason was born, I began to develop an eye for the art of photography. I never understood it before. I was so taken by it that I am now a photographer. My favorite things is when someone (myself, especially) can clearly capture emotions and relationships on camera. It makes my heart skip a beat when I come across pictures like that, even if I'm not the one who took the picture.

And that has opened the door to something that I never thought I would like: paintings. Maybe it was just because of a bad experience in art class, but I have never much liked paintings. I never liked anything by Van Goh or Da Vinci, and even the famous Mona Lisa wasn't anything special in my eyes.

But lately, I have begun to see the beauty in painting. I am amazed when I see a painting that can capture feelings, and emotions, and relationships, and I sometimes feel my heart skip a beat, too.

Three paintings have done this to me because of specific emotions they brought out at the different stages of my life that I came across them. They are all by the same artist: Katie M. Berggren, and--not surprisingly--they all have a mother and her child. :)

The first was this, titled A Light In The Dark:

And oh, if anything could capture the love and joy my son brought when he was born, it is this. I found this painting and this artist years after Mason was born, but this brought back that entire first year, and the feeling of finding my calling in life.

Next was Spirit Soaring:

First seen last year, it always reminds me of the purely happy days I have had with my son, constantly on an adventure, soaring towards the future.

And now there is this, tittled Up, Up, and Away:

I find it ironic that I first saw it just before Mason was diagnosed with cancer. Also ironic, is the fact that Mason will soon be bald, like the child in this painting. But I loved it then, and I love it even more now. For me, the emotions of love, protectiveness, and peace, all make an appearance. I see a boy who is at peace in his mom's lap, who feels safe and comfortable. And I see a mom who loves her son, and wants to protect him  from the trials he will face, as they go up, up, and away.

I am truly awe-struck by these paintings, and they will always remind me of these times in my life. What a talent to have, to be able to paint these emotions on a blank canvas! What a talent to be able to paint something that others can identify with!

Simply beautiful.

See Katie M. Berggren's website, or buy her artwork on Etsy.