Wedding Anniversary

Today is my wedding anniversary.  Athena and I were married on February 29th 2012, leap day.  That year it had barely snowed, and in the evening before it did.  We woke up to a wedding day with fresh white snow everywhere, and it was beautiful.  My one wedding vow to her was that I would continue to improve the quality of her life, always.  When I look back to where we were when we met, married, and where we are today I can definitely say that we have done that together.

My marriage to Athena has been the greatest event of my entire life.  The kind of love Athena and I have for one another is that one in a century love of the ages.  It has been amazing, and we are always together.

 I love this woman with all of my heart every day.

Athena has taught me what it truly means to care for another.

Every 4 years we go somewhere on a real vacation.  This time, because we have been so busy, and working so hard for what seams like eight years straight through, we decided to take some real time off from the world, and just enjoy ourselves.  We have been on vacation for most of this month, and we will not return until midway through the next.  I have not blogged much since we decided to take some time to ourselves.  I will be back and active here when we return from our adventure.

This is what true love looks like, Mahalo.

My friend Gak’s Wedding!

My friend from Hiroshima Japan had Athena and I set up a wedding for him on island.  He loves Maui, and he really wanted a small simple service here on the west side.

Artwork of the Month: Wedding art

After a night of drinking and dancing, Athena told me that she can relate to this oil painting now.  We have looked at this painting in passing, not really thinking very much about it until now.  It is on view at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.  

Douglas Volk

American, 1856-1935

"After the Reception"

1887, oil on canvas

She looks completely wiped out. A wedding, drinking, dancing, eating and talking will do that to you.  Athena and I were both completely wiped out the day after our wedding. We had a blast!

Artwork of the month: "Married Life"

Married life is a big deal to me, being a new husband and wanting my marriage to be successful, I tend to look at couples in happy marriages that have lasted a very long time and wonder.  Everyone has a different view on what makes a marriage a success.  For me, I want to be able to always improve the quality of our lives as a couple, and to simply maintain our happiness.  That said, I want to show you a work of art that I see as comedy, and brilliance.

The painting "Married Life" by Roger de la Fresnaye, depicts a man reading the paper and smoking a pipe with his naked wife around his arm.  That being how the artist views marriage is funny, seriously funny, and I am sure that artist laughed at it.  If you can't see the humor in that, I can not help you.  Oddly, this painting has had a profound impact on my compositional choices over the last 10 years.  I truly admire the composition, the placement and bend of the objects, and the line work on the figures.  it is a strong cubist work, and I'll bet the artist was proud of his little joke.  "Married Life" is hanging out at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts on permanent display.  I have been lucky enough to be able to spend a great amount of time studying this work.  

Roger de la Fresnaye

French, 1885-1925

"Married Life"

1912, oil on canvas

I am a husband...

...it is the best decision I have ever made.

Today I am getting Married!

Today, February 29th, 2012 leap-day,

I am going to be Married to Athena A. Capen.  

(I pre-wrote this and had it scheduled to post today.)

My life is vastly different with Athena in it.  You may have heard this and just rolled your eyes, but I am twice the man now because of her.  In fact, I actually see myself as a man now.  I love Athena, she is beautiful, well educated, and completely herself.  

Athena is my best friend, we do everything together. 

Athena is completely loyal.

Athena is honest to me and to all the world. She has nothing to hide and no regrets about who she is.

Athena is absolutely beautiful beyond words.  

She is tough, don't mess with her or she'll kill you.

Athena supports my career as an artist, loves my work, and is not afraid to tell me when she doesn't like what I am working on.

She stands behind my decisions in life, as I do hers.

Together we have been through personal tragedy, hard financial times, and of course way more good times than bad.  I have more good memories of the last 4 years than I can post in a single blog.  Through everything we have seen, we always came out on top, our relationship always was strengthened, and our understanding of who we are and what we are capable of increased.  

I am probably standing in front of my family and friends right now putting a ring on Athena's finger.

This is Athena, the woman I am getting married to as you read this.

At times she is an intergalactic gangster.

...she makes a pretty bad-ass princess Leia...

Chris (my best man), Athena and Philip.

Athena is a dog trainer, and she is good at what she does.  Her love for dogs, giving them the best life possible, and getting them to do cool stuff astounds me every time our pups learn a new trick.  I have no idea how she does it.

Here she is on her last birthday, we went to her favorite restaurant, had her favorite drinks, and ate her favorite food.  I am not telling any of you where her favorite place is, it's silly American food and decor. 

Here we are at the State fair.  It's only fun when I go with her.

yep, you guessed it, the butterfly tent.

Athena is almost has the wingspan of an eagle... 

...or a trumpeter swan.

My vows to you:

I will do my very best to always make us happy...

...to always work to improve the quality of our life...

...as together we build a life based on our love and care for one another.

Getting married to you is the coolest decision I have made to date.

Right now as you read this I am getting married.

Then I am off to my honeymoon...  

...I will see you all in a few weeks.