courage

I finished a new painting, hooray!  This painting began as a project for the Girl Scouts of America 100th year celebration, but it ended as a painting for me.

As this organization celebrates their 100th year they are focusing on their theme of building young women in "courage, confidence, and character".  I never took the opportunity to join Girls Scouts, but I had similar personal experiences of building my courage, confidence, and character while growing up in the presence of wonderful women.

One of the most influential experiences I can remember was attending Brighton Girls Camp.  A brief explanation:  As a 12 and 13 year old girl I attended Brighton Girls Camp during the summer (the lodges sit just on the outskirts of Brighton Ski Resort in the gorgeous Utah mountains).  I learned to hike, sing camp songs, do team building experiences, go rock climbing, zipline, work hard, play hard, and find my spirituality.  I loved these experiences so much I decided to work in the kitchen for the summer when I was 16 and then (I couldn't stay away) I returned at 19 to be a counselor to a hundred or so girls and try to give them the same rewarding experience that I received at their young, sweet age.

I think women have an incredible power to lift each other up.  I can't adequately put words to this power and I'm not sure that I can explain it.  Maybe it's because of all those funny stereotypes - we like to like braid each others hair, we zip ourselves into skirts, we have curves, we menstruate, we cry with each other, we wear bra's, we birth children... out of our bodies.  We are all sharing this earthly experience in such a similar way, yet we are strong because we are so radically different.

I loved creating this image to express some of those feelings.  And here's a silent yet gracious thank you to all the women who have given me courage.  I admire you.



>> Check out this photo series of 4 sisters that recreated their childhood photos, so awesome!
>> Have you seen the Barbie and Ken wedding photos?  Great idea.