Small Strokes of Luck
A visual story—and notes on chance, art, and recognition
I wanted to run my fingers along the canvas when I first saw it. Each stroke was fine-tuned to perfection. Her fur meshed together in a cool palette of charcoal and sugary goodness. I liked how some areas were slightly raised, giving the work a tactile quality. Brush by brush, these details amounted to a painting of my lionhead rabbit, Pepper, by Maggie Featherstone.
Before I received this gift, Maggie and I had only known each other inside our screens. We had a shared appreciation for creativity and bunnies and a vague awareness of residing in the same area. (It wasn’t until we officially met for coffee—after a chance encounter in a different neighborhood altogether—that we learned we actually lived right around the corner from one another.) Given the context, I was so grateful Maggie offered to paint Pepper. To notice the intricacies of this small creature. To see her in pixels and then again in paint.
Maggie’s piece now lives on the mantle above my—nonworking but equally (heart)warming—fireplace, next to a painting of two figures crafted by another artist, my grandmother, Sharon. They are among the first things I see when I wake up and set the tone in our bedroom: handmade goods make this house a home. But it’s more than material pleasure. It’s a small miracle to recognize the beings we love in the things we live with—the art we make and acquire. As Etel Adnan expressed to Laure Adler in The Beauty of Light: “There is a collaboration between the objects that you use, and this is true beyond painting. … I’m very sensitive to the role of objects in our lives, to the importance of this collaboration.”
Adnan also remarked that “chance collaborates with us.” As I’ve looked closely at the surrounding brushstrokes, I’ve been thinking about the small strokes of luck in life—the chance encounters with art and artists, friends and family (fur and humans alike). August is perfect for this kind of reflection—historically, it’s also been a time of transformation. It’s marked my engagement, professional milestones, and the birth of the little bun that planted the seed for this slow story.
What are the chances of this magic occurring in the same month over the years? I can’t say for sure, but the chance of anything heart-opening happening at all is something to be grateful for, no matter the season.
I haven’t seen Maggie since she gave me the painting, but perhaps this story will prompt a serendipitous meeting on the sidewalk. (More likely, she’ll stumble upon it in her inbox first.) Yet whether online or offline, I believe language generates its own form of luck. Visual language, too. So, on that note, I’ll leave you with a photo diary inspired by rabbits, recognition, art, and small strokes of luck that bring levity to living.
Pepper wants to remind you that pre-orders are essential for all authors, but especially first-time authors. They indicate widespread interest and help secure placement in bookstores and other retailers. I've reached a critical point in my life and work, so your support in this way would mean the world to me!
AMAZON · BARNES & NOBLE · BOOKSHOP
“You can do something this afternoon that you didn’t plan to do. You can meet someone who will suddenly change your life without your having known it a few minutes prior. So, chance—whether it be inside a painting or in daily life or in artistic decisions—chance collaborates with us.” - Etel Adnan, The Beauty of Light