There have been many times in the past year in which my hubby and I have had to pinch ourselves at the wonder of the moments we’ve experienced.  Living a life of travel has its downsides but we recognize how incredibly fortunate we are.  Each memory is one we may not have otherwise enjoyed had we chosen to stay put.  In her series Technicolor Summer, Los Angeles artist Kimberly Brooks captures such quiet moments in which life and all that surrounds us is being soaked up to the fullest.

Her paintings are tinged with a hint of melancholy, as the scenes follow her family through summer vacations all the while bracing for the death of the artist’s father.  We too, find ourselves in the midst of amazing beauty, yet still wishing for something more.. thinking about how much a close friend or family member would enjoy the moment, how much we wish they were there with us.

So we take lots of photographs to share, hoping that our loved ones can live these moments with us across the miles.  But we often wonder, if given the chance, would they have made the same choice?  We’ve met people who live within a few hours drive of incredible places yet they have never ventured out to experience them.

Are you living life to the fullest?  What moments are you truly enjoying and experiencing these days?  It’s so easy to get stuck in the drudgery of our day to day.  Get out and live in full color, enjoy every minute as if it were your last.

Artist found via Taylor De Cordoba Gallery.

Featured image is Technicolor Summer ( detail ), oil on linen, 36×44.  All images are via the artist’s website.