With love, Norman Rockwell

The Young Lady with The Shiner, 1953 by Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)

Uranus enters Gemini on July 7th, the kick off of a transit that doesn’t happen that often. At all. Literally. Uranus takes around 84 years to orbit the Sun and it’s transit in Gemini has happened during some rather significant periods in history. The last time it occupied this sign was during the 1940’s, August of 1941 to be exact, amid a world war. And before that? April of 1859, the same year Haiti became a republic and May of 1767, a few years before the French Revolution.

And for whatever reason, American painter Norman Rockwells (1894-1978) The Young Lady With The Shiner (1953) immediately came to mind when I thought about this transit and the current political climate in the world.

She’s sitting there with a magnificent black eye and a smile as if to say that she has no regrets, absolutely none. The definition of wanting to apologize to absolutely NO ONE. Whatever went on, she was pleased with herself. Who did she fight and what the hell happened?

Her expression is wonderfully defiant. She may have taken a hit, but she doesn’t look defeated. If anything, she looks like she would do it again.

Sometimes all you can do is keep your head up, smile through the chaos and be fucking proud of yourself for putting up an amazing fight. You might get bruised up, but that doesn’t automatically make you the loser. You stood your ground and refused to let the world knock you down.

And if you happen to end up with a shiner along the way, at least wear it with a little pride.

Other artworks that I’ve written about: Lover of art
Hellelil and Hildebrand
Carl Vilhelm Holsøe
In a roman osteria
The birth of Venus
Anguish