FRIENDS

Living With Distance Oil on linen 120 x 160 cm 2002

Where Are We? Oil on linen 80 x 120 cm 2002

Over the last month I have had wonderful opportunities to catch up with friends from the past. One gathering was with three friends from High School . We have not been together since 1975. Another gathering was this week with three friends from Goondiwindi where I lived when I was married [now nearly ten years ago].

Needless to say in each case there was a lot of catching up. But at both gatherings people commented on the fact that even though we do not keep in contact via email, Facebook, Twitter or other online or virtual connection, our conversations fell into a comfortableness that time has not eroded. My friends from High School commented that even though it had been over 30 years since we had been together, we talked about and told each other things which we may not even tell new friends. This was because sometimes the history explaining our reactions, beliefs, upbringing is too complex or time consuming to tell. As old friends we were each a part of the others' histories thus rendering explanations about reactions to events and happenings as unnecessary. This kind of friendship is very special, because time and frequency of contact do not influence the links.

So, inevitibly, at both gatherings we touched upon the high frequency of contact via Facebook, Twitter, Texting etc, people [esp young people] seemed to be hooked on. In one discussion we agreed that the busy frenzy of always being contactable is exhausting. We did not come up with any solutions, except to agree that as very busy women uninterrrupted time alone is like gold.

There is a lot to write about with regards to constant connection. But, I will depart from this subject a little to reference my recent experiences in terms of my interest in perspective. I have noticed that as I get older conversations with friends can become far more inimate in terms of life story telling. This is probably because as a person ages the years are filled with more and more experiences which cause reflection, changes in attitude, shock, happiness, sadness and so on. Looking back over life the perspective of time can enrich conversations, erode prejudices, awaken confidence, engender humour and peel away useless beliefs and attitiudes. All of these then change the perspective potential of the future

The two paintings above are older works both painted in 2002. Living With Distance is a bride seemingly floating above the Earth with her long veil wrapping the Earth's curvature. The title explains the physical distance of the bride, who is actually a country bride who has a life lving in remote rural Australia as her future. The title also suggests that emotional distance can corrupt the quality of a relationship, so that one or both partners feel adrift.

Where Are We? plays with multiple horizons, in this case there are two. The mountains are metaphors for overcoming adversity, so in each horizon there exists the potential of the past and the future.

PS. Have a look at http://www.joshualevigalleries.com.au/ and keep looking at this site. Looks like I will be exhibiting there in March next year!!!