Healing waves

Once upon a time guest series with Pam K. Varacek

Today I am very honored to be featuring the story and artwork of a very dear friend and talented painter from across the wide ocean: Pam K. Varacek. Last May I've had the great pleasure of spending a whole day in Paris with Pam and and another of my "Flying Sisters" (the group of ladies who took Kelly Rae Roberts' Flying Lessons last year, if you've been reading my blog before, you know the story!). How often do you get to spend a day with two supposedly complete strangers, and in less than 5 minutes feel like you've known each other for years? I feel very blessed indeed. So without further ado, here is Pam's "Once upon a time"...

"This piece was a particularly tough one for me to put onto my canvas. It represents depression. Depression is something that runs in my family. It is a condition that many people suffer from, and most of us have felt a bout of depression at some point in their life, but it is one that is always difficult to discuss.

For me I compare the feeling of depression to that of drowning, to feel the water envelop me as I sink into the depths. This is what I wanted to project in my piece.

What is difficult is that I also see water as a calming, soothing symbol. I head to the bay near my home every morning for that. I enjoy listening to the waves lapping against the shore.

I have actually had people reach out to me to tell me the painting is not so much drowning but waving. That's what they see when they look at it, more like "Not Drowning, But Waving". That is actually a very healing thing for me.

Once upon a time, a girl felt very isolated, thinking that this depressive state was something no one else could relate to. "Not Waving, But Drowning" has helped her get her story out and has helped her see that she is not alone. She lives happily ever after."

Pamela K. Varacek is a native of Long Island, New York, where her love for the beach, ocean and Great South Bay has been a major source of inspiration for her.