You've Got This!
Artwork courtesy of Ria Cornell
“Change happens when you extend your reach. Your comfort zone is your enemy. As long as you play it safe, you will never become all that you are destined to be.” ~ Germany Kent
Today’s blog is a scene from The Rogue Scorpion where Isabella Ricci steps out of her comfort zone to overcome her insecurities and fears of rejection about her talent as an artist. I believe, dear reader, that even the most confident people have moments of self-doubt. I know I have struggled to believe in myself as a writer with aptitude, worthy to achieve success. I hope reading how Isabella found the courage to extend her reach inspires you to follow your dreams.
Catalina suggests it’s high time Isabella got her courage together to take the painting of the rogue scorpion to Eduardo for his evaluation, and Isabella finally agrees. Catalina calls her uncle to set up an appointment at his smaller, less busy location a few blocks south of their place, just north of Avenida Balboa, in the heart of downtown.
“I’m so freaking nervous,” Isabella says. She pulls down the car sun visor and examines her teeth in the small mirror, then applies a fresh coat of lip gloss.
“Take a deep breath and try to relax,” Catalina says, her eye on the road, the traffic bumper to bumper across all three lanes of the main artery. “You’ve met Tío, and you know how lovely and easygoing he is. But most importantly, you have serious talent and you’ve captured some strong emotion in your painting. I’m absolutely confident Tío is going to love it.”
“You’re biased,” Isabella says. “About both of us. But I suppose the worst that can happen is he rejects it, and I’ll be no worse off than I was before.”
“That’s the attitude of the woman I know and love,” Catalina says as she turns left and up a rather steep road, only wide enough for one vehicle. “There it is, just over to your left. Oh, and how lucky, there’s a parking spot right out front.”
Catalina expertly navigates her car into the tight space and puts it into park, then turns off the ignition and turns to face Isabella.
“You’ve got this,” she says, “Just be yourself. I’ll grab the painting from the back so you don’t get all hot and flustered in this heat. You go on into the comfort of the air conditioning and I’ll be right there.”
“Okay, thank you,” Isabella says. She opens the door, then presses the creases that have formed in her pale yellow and blue checkered cotton dress. As she walks up the front steps to the entrance of the gallery, she notices the facade. It is quite impressive. White stucco walls surround three floor-to-ceiling windows framed in ebony wood on either side of the two glass doors, the name of the gallery with Eduardo’s name underneath embossed in a simple black font. She steps through the entrance and into the cool air. The space is pristine, with a tasteful, minimalist design. She is scrutinizing a painting of a woman made of fruit, the bright colours and textures a delight to her senses, when she hears the bell ring. Catalina is out front, her arms full with the canvas they’ve covered in an old faded tablecloth. Isabella turns to open the door and holds it ajar as Catalina crosses the threshold at the same time as Eduardo approaches from the back of the room.
“Catalina, Izzy, you’re here, and right on time,” Eduardo says, walking toward them with an easy stride. He looks quite dashing in a lilac linen button-down shirt, the sleeves folded up to the elbows, and pressed charcoal-grey trousers. Isabella notices his brown leather shoes are polished to a sheen, and his beard and moustache are meticulously groomed.
“Buenos dias,” Catalina and Isabella say at the same time.
“Buenos,” Eduardo returns. “Here, let me take that for you,” Eduardo reaches for the canvas. “Come, follow me. We’ll go take a look at this in my office in the back.”
Isabella and Catalina hold hands as they make their way past attractive displays of sculptures, roped off with red velvet sashes that hang between chrome posts. There is a door at the back of the gallery that Eduardo left open, and as they move inside, Isabella is jolted by the one-eighty inside Eduardo’s office. Canvases are rolled up and stacked in piles, leaning against all four walls, protruding from vases and cardboard tubes. Framed works of art are wedged into cubicles, and the desk is covered in a clutter of bills and invoices. Eduardo puts the canvas on an easel that is set up in one corner and carefully removes the cloth. He steps back and just stands there, staring in silence, for what seems like an eternity to Isabella.
“This is exquisite,” Eduardo says, stroking his beard and stepping back. “Catalina, you didn’t begin to do this justice.”
“I, uh, really? You mean it?” Isabella says, suddenly tongue-tied.
“I wouldn’t ever say anything untrue about a piece of art,” Eduardo says. He turns and takes Isabella by both her hands. “You have a talent for expressing emotion, which isn’t easy to do. And your use of colour and form shows maturity and, at the same time, a willingness to be bold and vulnerable. The combination, especially in someone as young as you, with no real formal training, is extremely rare.”
“I, um, thank you, thank you,” Isabella says, as tears well up in her eyes. “I’ve never, no one has ever . . .”
“I told you,” Catalina says, beaming. “Whatever stories you have about your ability are from the past. You’ve come into your authentic style, and it shows.”
“Isabella, I’d be honoured if you allowed me to display this in my showroom at my other location, which I reserve for up-and-coming artists,” Eduardo says. “But first, we need to choose the right frame. If you have time, we can meet up there later tonight, around eight? I’ll have my assistant take this over for you and we can discuss options. Does that suit you?”
“It more than suits,” Isabella says. “I can’t thank you enough, Eduardo. This is all so exciting.”
“Please, call me Tío,” Eduardo says. “But, for now, I must get back to work.” He gestures toward his messy desk. “I will see you both at eight.” He walks them to the door of his office and kisses them once on each cheek.
“Oh my God, pinch me, I’m dreaming. Did that just happen?” Isabella says, squeezing Catalina’s hand as her feet float across the gallery floor, her mind awhirl with the events that have unfolded. “Do you mind if we stay a little longer and look around? I don’t feel ready to rejoin the world.”
“My beloved Izzy, take all the time you need,” Catalina says. “We don’t have anything pressing on our schedules. But I do think, in light of this amazing development, we need to break our budget rules and plan a celebratory dinner. Agreed?”
“Yes, yes, we must, but Catalina, let’s make it just you and me. No one else, okay? I don’t want to share this with anyone but you.”
COMING UP…
Books & Projects:
· All four of my books are available online at Amazon, Chapters-Indigo, and Barnes & Noble. You can also find them at select Chapters-Indigo and El Hombre de la Mancha bookstores.
· I am pursuing representation from a traditional publisher for my fifth literary fiction, a psychological drama that explores the complexities of mental illness and trauma. Stay in touch by signing up for my blog or following me on social media to find out when it will be published.
Reviews & Interviews:
· You can read, listen, or watch a large selection of reviews and interviews on my website.
Events:
· There are no events currently scheduled in my calendar.
YouTube Channel:
· Watch The Rogue Scorpion trailer.
· Watch The Holding trailer.
· Watch The Healing trailer.