Dear Claude

  Once again, I am sitting in front of my computer on a late night. I'm inspired to paint but sadly have no money for brushes, seeing as I am a college student and all. But none the less, Claude Monet popped into my head. The other day I showcased African born artist Peju Alatise, and today I just felt like a good Monet. 

  Ever since I can remember, I have been drawn to the works of Claude Monet. Believe it or not my middle name is Monet, so I do attribute many of my artistic blessings to him. Besides all of that, truth be told, I was in a funky mood today. I really was feeling burn of betrayal and I wasn't to sure how to deal with what I was feeling and I began to sink. 

  So as I was looking for my happy place, these paintings flashed through my mind, just flittering images of color and softness and somehow I still felt an overwhelming sadness. It never ceases to amaze me how life can continue to go on around us, when we are hurting. It's as if you have a wound that wont bleed, so people never really know its there. Ive heard that saying, "The eyes are the windows to the soul..." and I'm sure if someone really "looked" at me and "saw" me, they could experience, if just for a moment, the pain of that wound. The eyes of Claude Monet saw beauty and he put it on a canvas. He painted his pain away and made it something beautiful for us to see. Thats what I want for myself and you...a moment where pain is no longer pain but a beautiful moment in our individual worlds, where time doesn't stop and you can "see" yourself and the beauty of your pains.

-monet

Claude Monet-Self Portrait

Water Lilies

Palazzo da Mula-Venice 1908

The Path