Thoughts on Happiness from the Newfoundland Quarterly



Water Taxi, oil on masonite, 24" x 24", Emma Butler Gallery

 What makes me happy? Well it’s typical of me to look up the etymology of the word “Happy” first. What I found was the old English approach - lucky, favoured by fortune, greatly pleased and content. Happy medium, happy ending, oh happy days…one of my favourites is “happy hour”. I’ve always believed that a painter operates at a particular crossroads. It’s a problematic location, but assuming that I’m living in that strange twilight between the tangible world I belong to and the painted world I create, well that is one aspect of living that makes me happy. 

Steven Rhude, Wolfville, NS

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