Caught between two worlds – the present and the past.

“Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and equanimity. ” ~ Carl Jung.

This post was first published in March 2017.

mixed media painting on paper "Caught between two worlds"

"Caught between two worlds", mixed media on Canson XL 12 x18" watercolour paper.

 

Why is she caught between two worlds?

She reminds me very much of photographs of women long ago who endured hardships and disappointments with presence of mind and cool composure.

As I continue with the painting, she becomes more contemporary. Her hair is loose and partially uncombed, and she does have a bit of lip colour on her. The dress, although rather demure by today’s standards, might be considered timeless. Even her pout is not all that unusual even for today’s selfie obsessed world.

And this is how the title “Caught between two worlds” came to be. She is caught somewhere between the present and the past.  Timeless.

She does look sad, as women did long ago in their formal photos. Surely she has had her moments of happiness too in spite of life’s hardships.

After all, as Jung states, happiness is not a permanent state of mind, and is appreciated far more when we also accept our times of sorrow.

Miss Eugenia, Proprietor of Haberdashery

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