The Daily Grace
The Daily Grace

Looking for Potential in the Ordinary

Jul 10, 2014 | nature & awe | 6 comments

We spent the holiday weekend in Florida, a trip I never mind making. I love a road trip, after all, love loading up the car and heading down the highway with our dog, a couple of great audiobooks, a pile of magazines and a stash of knitting. My sweet husband drives, and I am most content to be the passenger for a while, responsible for nothing more than keeping myself entertained on the long drive.

That’s particularly easy now that I’ve studied with Mary Bentz Gilkerson, an artist who takes (intentionally) mediocre photographs of unremarkable landscapes and paints them into glory. I’m not exaggerating when I say Mary’s example of looking for potential in the ordinary has totally transformed the way I look at the world around me.

(If you don’t know Mary’s work, check it out here. Then sign up for her Daily Painting emails. It’s a little gift each afternoon to see what she and her palette knife have created.)

Inspired by Mary, I spent much of the drive snap snap snapping out the window with my iPhone’s camera. I rejoiced each time the landscape changed. Then on the way home, we hit standstill traffic on I-26 and Tim took a quick turn off the Interstate and onto Highway 6. I could not believe my good fortune.

Thank you, Tim. Thank you, Mary! Thank you for opening my eyes to all that is there, just outside my car window.

 

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6 Comments

  1. Colleen

    There was nothing mediocre about those pics. I love each and every one.

    • Cathy

      Thank you, Colleen!

  2. Cheryl

    Beautiful & inspiring, as always! Thank you, Cathy!!

    • Cathy

      Thank you, Cheryl!

  3. Lisa

    Those are great…we all need to slow down and smell the roses…or sunflowers..

    • Cathy

      Yes. The sunflowers! Thank you, Lisa.

Cathy Rigg Headshot

Hi. I’m Cathy.

This is a blog about writing, creative living, and grace in the everyday. It’s my hope this little spot on the internet will be for you a place of quiet and reflection, a source for inspiration, and a reminder there’s beauty all around—we simply need to keep our hearts open to see it. Thank you for being here with me.

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