Justine Durrell wrote about the lives of remarkable and surprising women from the past – highlighting their grace, challenges, and creativity to engender their living presence in your life.
Artemisia Gentileschi – Authenticity in the Face of Adversity
Sweeping aside the night, Artemisia and her angel paint the dawn. An alchemical turbulence turning nocturnal obscurity into the promising light of day. Stepping onto the Roman stage of the 17th century, amid great male painters, appeared an audacious woman. Through her peerless use of color, brush stroke, and luminosity, Artemisia Gentileschi created forceful and sensuous women immersed in their story. Passing through all the adversity her life served up, she rose to celebrated prominence, never forsaking her true gift, her authentic vision.
When a Life Pivots
Robert Frost’s, The Road Not Taken, enchants with a musing walk on the pathway of pivotal decisions. Curious about the interplay of choice, luck, and opportunity after a directional commitment, I peered into the life of Hollywood’s film goddess Lana Turner. Looking at openings, momentum, lucky breaks, pitfalls, and reflections.
Hat and Hill
Two Women – 3500 Years -The Political Conundrum of Women Leadership
This is a comparative tale between two remarkable women leaders separated by about 3500 years: Maatkare Hatshepsut of Egypt and Hillary Rodham Clinton of the U.S. – Hat and Hill. Both women recognized as politically astute, highly intelligent, ambitious, and devoted to their beliefs.
Journeying back to 1470 B.C.E., we find a bold and impassioned woman decreeing herself King of Egypt. As one in only a handful of female pharaohs over a 3000 year period, Hat immortalized herself by claiming she was chosen by the God Amen-Ra and proceeded to rule progressively for over 20 years.
Fishing, Freedom, and Fate
My paternal grandmother remains a mystery to me and all I know from personal experience is she liked fishing.
During my adolescent summers, I would watch some relative drop her off at the driveway around our ranch. She arrived in long sleeves, long pants, and a scarf about her head. Fishing pole in hand, she took off on the quarter mile dirt road to the river. Small in stature, she disappeared into the tall grasses before reaching the river channel.