The Motivating Power of Art

One day while visiting one of my favorite local venues, I came across this scene.  I captured several pictures of it before moving on.  A few days later, I returned with hopes of capturing more exposures from different perspectives.   However, what I saw was truly unexpected as all but the trees in the background were gone!  A bulldozer parked nearby was the apparent culprit!  I’m glad that I captured this scene before it was lost forever!

A while later, a lady purchased a version of it at a local fair.  About 4 or 5 years passed and our paths crossed once again.  She asked if I wanted to know the inspiration that propelled her to buy it.  I said yes of course, recalling that she looked at it briefly before purchasing it. She said that at the time, she was going through a very difficult and oppressive time in her life.  This had been going on for about three years.  She said that it had taken such a toll on her life that she had lost her will to succeed and was on the verge of completely giving up on life. She went on to say that as she gazed at the piece and contemplated the meaning behind its title, she drew strength.  As a result, she was motivated to look beyond her current challenges and focus her energies on the positive, path that lied ahead.  She built the courage and willpower to press onward, ultimately conquering and prevailing.  Hearing that story, completely floored me. I’m so thankful that this work had such a positive impact on her life and helped her to achieve her victory! 

🏆In 2009, a version of this expression was on display at the Art Institute of California at San Diego!