Oil Painting #2: On Turning 33

Here's a painting I did on my birthday a couple of weeks ago. Although I look a bit pensive in the self-portrait, it was a remarkably trauma-free birthday (unlike 2 years ago: the Lonely Summer; or last year: the River Episode). I went to the open studio and painted, I had lunch with my friend Stacey, and then Nate took me out to a very nice dinner at Lauro and then downtown to watch part of the Twilight Criterium.

Each year my birthday always signaled two things: 1) Conference--the gathering of Conservative Mennonites in the Midwest and 2) the beginning of the school year. While many people find the New Year to be a time of reflection in their lives, I find August to be the punctuation mark in my year. It's one of those rare pauses when I have time to think and find out what I know about myself. I know a few things: I am incredibly blessed and fortunate, I have a good job, good friends, and a supportive husband. I am most alive when I am creating. But I still don't know What I Want to be When I Grow Up and I feel like there is more to this life than I am currently experiencing. I have itchy feet (not literally) and I'm longing for a bit more adventure and passion in my life. Perhaps I'll find these in the year ahead.

P.S. I don't consider this to be a very good likeness. I had planned to let it dry and then rework some of the highlights and the eyes. But now it's dry and I am not feeling inclined to go back into it....So it will just be what it is: my 2nd attempt at oil painting.