Riding the Wind: Living the Stories Behind the Art
From the deck of a beautiful schooner named Jennie - prettiest boat in the regatta!
There’s something about being out on the water for days at a time that resets everything you think you know about rhythm. The sea doesn’t move on your schedule — it breathes, it hums, it shifts when it wants to. You learn to listen, to read its moods, to find the quiet space between gusts of wind and the next set of waves.
I just returned from an awesome multi-day offshore regatta called Harvest Moon. During this regatta, there were moments of perfect stillness — sails lightly filling, the water rhythmic and gentle — and then, moments later, chaos as the wind whipped back and we scrambled to trim and steady. Somewhere between those extremes, I found a deep sense of presence. No phone. No to-do list. Just motion, wind, water, lots of prayer, and a very specific kind of teamwork.
Food for the Soul – and the Imagination
Every time I go to sea, I come home with new colors in my head — the silver-blue shimmer before dawn, the billions of stars paving the way for the rising harvest supermoon, the deep green of the water when the light cuts just right, the sunset-orange sails against a hazy sky. To witness and live these colors first-hand far outpaces learning theory on a color wheel.
But more than that, I come back with stories.
Every time I’m on the water, something feels different.
It’s not just the salt in my hair or the way my body still feels the roll of the waves. (Hello, land-sickness!). It’s something deeper — a kind of reawakening.
Out there, I notice things I miss while on land:
the color of light on the water at dawn,
the teamwork that morphs into something like family,
the quiet from the noise of life where I can hear the sound of my Lord’s voice that much more clearly…
Afterward, I tend to return with a different outlook on “the daily grind” that our culture seems to celebrate. It becomes more than that. The experience breathes life into the lungs of monotony and fuels it with a deepened sense of purpose as we learn to work with unpredictability and lean into wonder. It keeps the hands steady and the imagination restless.
For these reasons, I believe I come back a better artist for having seen experienced these things.
This regatta was another reminder that creativity doesn’t grow in safe harbors. It thrives when we step out — into wind, into change, into things that make us feel a little uncomfortable and a whole lot alive.
A Little Encouragement for You
These kinds of reflective moments aren’t just reserved for aspiring sailors. Maybe for you it’s hiking a new trail, visiting the beach at sunrise, or signing up for something you’ve always wanted to learn. So my challenge to you is this: whatever it is — go. You’ll come back seeing the world (and how you relate to the Creator of all of it) with fresh eyes.
Stories that Sail Home with You
If this bird’s-eye-view inspires you, and you would like to experience the full story and the artwork that came from it, I invite you to join me on Patreon for the Shell Collector’s Print Club. Each month, receive an envelope full of colorful art, stories and new experiences, creative challenges and more – all delivered straight to your mailbox.
Support my work and take part in these wild endeavors! In November, I will be sharing the full story, art, inspirations and reflections from the sailing trip – it will be some unique mail, for sure!
Tomorrow (October 15th) is the last day to sign up in order to receive a letter in November, so be sure to select the print club in the Patreon membership options.
I look forward to sending you a letter!
With gratitude & anticipation,
Ruth
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