i found hope at the shoreline

oil & ink on linen canvas in a handcrafted poplar wood frame.   13 x 13 x 1.5 d 

Sometimes it's hard for me to know or feel who I am. I struggle with overthinking and overanalyzing everything about myself, and about those big life questions like, why are we here?, what's the point of all this?, what should I be doing with my life? There are so many routes to take so many different things to care about that I get stuck in decision paralysis. Everyone needs that thing that makes them feel like themselves again. Whether it be the activity that you can get lost in, the passion that drives you to pursue that thing like it's the only thing that exists at that moment, or being with family that reminds you that love can be that thing. We all have something like that, good or bad, whether we know it or not. If you have one that you know and love that makes you feel whole, I think you're pretty lucky.

When I have the chance to go to the beach to surf, I always find myself again. After I broke my knee, I was scared I wouldn't have that anymore. I felt like a part of me was missing with not being able to go surfing. A year later, my knee is not perfect but strong enough to still be able to surf. Surfing has always been one thing for me that makes me feel like me again. Just being in the water in sync with the energy of the ocean, and the beauty of the earth surrounding me is powerful enough to bring me to that place of bliss. Riding the waves and feeling in rhythm brings me back to that feeling of knowing who I am and that everything is ok. Surfing gives me gratitude and quiets my mind, it inspires me, it brings me back to life, it gives me hope for a good life. Surfing makes me feel like the world is much simpler if we could just surf and share the inspiration for life that we gather, we could live a happier more meaningful life. But of course, life is not simple, the world has issues. I want to make it my mission to bring some of that inspiration to people. I want to help people feel that feeling of connection with something greater than us, an inspiration for shared bliss. I want to inspire people to find more connection than separation, more happiness in creating than consuming, more hope with the thing that makes them feel like themselves. 

- Connor Robinson 2023