DOVES OF PEACE AND HOPE

This most beautiful photograph was created by Marlie Plank, an Austrian abstract photographer.  A picture of the photograph does not do it justice at all.  

A print was hanging on the display wall of the Art Gallery, marked "FOR SALE", aboard the cruise ship, The Veendam, in February 2020, when we first saw it.   

I'm not an art connoisseur but immediately when I looked at it, I was drawn into the piece and my thoughts were of peace and calmness.  

It was really beautiful

To give a little background for my affinity of this photograph, it was the year 1969 or thereabouts, I was being installed as Worthy Advisor for Emporium Assembly #93 of the International Order of Rainbow for Girls.  As Worthy Advisor (which is similar to being the president of the group for one year) we chose a theme and symbol for the year ahead.  My choice theme was "PEACE" and my symbol for the year was the Dove.  

The dove because in the Bible doves hold a great significance.  Doves represents peace of the deepest kind.  The dove also holds the role as spirit messenger and imparts a message of inner peace, helping the observer to go about a calm existence but with purpose.  

The dove in the Bible also brings hope, as with Noah and hope for dry land.  Also, as with Baptism as the Holy Spirit rested on Jesus at the time he was baptized.  And, it was the offering of doves to Simon that blessed the child Jesus.

As I began to lose myself in this photograph, I knew that I had to buy it.  

There was a place for it on my newly painted living room wall and I could drink in it's meaning all day long, if I wanted to.  I've never been struck by a piece of art like this, in my life.

Notice that some of the doves are coming from the chaos while some are going in.  Isn't like this on the journey that we call life?  It feels much like my coming and going through life in times of uncertainty.  Little did I know at that time, that this year would be the greatest year of uncertainty in my life.

But the price.  Although it was not astronomical, it was more than I had ever paid for artwork and out of my budget for the time.  

Each day, as we walked to the dining area, I would hesitate beside it for moments at a time and tell Steve how beautiful it was to me.  He got the idea and after a few days said that I should buy it.

I rushed to the service desk and told them that I wanted to buy that beautiful print.  The customer service representative said that, "Due to the current situation, there was no representative on board who could help me."

I walked away and wondered why on Earth they would list something for sale but not be able to sell it.  Disappointed, I'm not one to give up easily.  

The next day I went back to the service desk and said, "There must be a way to get in touch with the selling art gallery."  I had to have that print.

The ship's customer service sent an email to the art gallery and the message came back the day before we were to disembark, that they did not have the size that I wanted and I would have to pay nearly double for the size available, which I did not want.  I was not able to buy the piece on the ship during our cruise.

Undeterred, I took the art gallery information and the other contact information.  When we got home, I searched the Internet and Facebook until I found the artist.  But her website was down and I was unable to order it.

Then I went to her Facebook Page and sent a private message inquiring about how to purchase the photograph. On February 24, 2020, my message read: 

     " I am interested in purchasing your photograph called "Peace" that was displayed in the Artlinksgallery on the Holland America Lines ship, Veendam. There was no representative on board and the gallery said they were not selling the size I wanted. Could I purchase the print in digital format to have it printed locally?"

There was no response.  Why would she want to respond with an unknown person in Pennsylvania anyway.  

Then came lock downs and fear and sadness because of the Corona Virus and I forgot about my dream of this beautiful photograph.  I knew that it was not meant to be.

But then, in late November I had this response:  "HI Cathy !I´m really sorry for this really really late response. I rarely chekck my facebook messages. If you´re still interested we can surely find an agreement. Could you drop me a line to hej@marliesplank.com in case you are still interested ? Thx Best Marlies"

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!!

Marlies Plank from Vienna Austria, responded to my FaceBook Message!

Of course I was still interested and reminded Steve about it.  He said, "Go ahead."  And I don't care that it counts for my Birthday, our Anniversary and my Christmas Present.  

My beautiful, wonderful, Doves of Peace, are on their way from Austria and will arrive in a week or two.  

UNBELIEVABLE!!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY,  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME!!

I'll let you know when it gets here.

The Real Cathy