She's a Full-On Monet

Tai: Do you think she's pretty? 

Cher: No, she's a full-on Monet. 

Tai: What's a monet? 

Cher: It's like a painting, see? From far away, it's OK, but up close, it's a big old mess.

Clueless (1995)

Who would have thought that such words of wisdom would exit the mouth of a teenage cult film of the 90's. The words of the film touch closer on reality than perhaps first perceived. In my love of art I have visited many art galleries and stood close to paintings similar to a Monet. For me there is much beauty at a distance and close up. The close up is not a big old mess, but rather a reflection on reality. Beauty found in chaos. 

At a distance we look into the lives of everyone around us. We see what others have or how others live and easily think that what we have boring, dull, wearisome in comparison. There is a part of us that wishes we could have the life we do not have. From a distance we are deceived, chaos forming a picture of perfection that really does not reflect the close-up. Up close we can begin to see the strokes that are erratic, leading in many directions. We can see the cracks that slowly appear in something that has been withstanding time. What we see up close is reality. It is not neat, it is messy. There is merely a slight outline of the possibilities that may come, however, the brush strokes and colours mix with an appearance of independence. Our lives are only somewhat controlled by our own decisions, most often our decisions are dictated by the chaos that surrounds us. 

I am a full-on Monet. From a distance many would not see the inner workings of my mind, nor do I let many, people would begin to see the cracks, the insecurities, the scars, the ups and downs, the slight wrinkles that have come with age. I am a big old mess. But there is beauty amongst the mess. There are many colours merging together, and although they don't always form a clear close up, from a distance they form who I am.

The Blue Waterlilies is an artwork that reminds me to refrain from judgement. To avoid coveting the lives of others. Everyone is living out a Monet artwork. There is beauty up close and at a distance, we just need to be open to seeing it for what it really is...A big old mess. But a beautiful old mess.