An Evolving Life. Doctor's Wife. — thehummingbirdpost.com

Mar 4

Mar 4 An Evolving Life. Doctor's Wife.

Life Ramblings, An Evolving Life, Meryl Spiegel, Art Plus Conversation

Doctor’s Wife

I love my husband. I love my life. But that wasn’t always the case. Independence was my mantra, my life goal when I graduated from Syracuse University’s journalism school in the late 70s. I was going to travel the world, make documentaries, explore humanity. I was naive, idealistic and determined.

Then I met a young man with hooded blue eyes on an airplane and for a time my dreams flew out the window. I became a doctor’s wife. My life became tied to his career, his choices and the expectations and opinions of others. I became someone I didn’t recognize. Two daughters, two dogs, and many jobs later, I hit bottom. I lost myself.

Step by step, I started over, slowly rebuilding my confidence. It took time, lots of time, to give myself permission to do what makes me happy, what moves me. With the support of that same man with the hooded blue eyes and many like-minded friends, I began to face the demons both inside and out. I began to pursue a truly creative life.

Through photography, writing, yoga, and now drawing and painting, I finally feel like the person who was hidden for so long under so many layers; the artist who was afraid to come out. If there’s something hiding deep inside you, yet stirring, clamoring to get out, please join me on my journey as I continue to evolve, expand, and grow. Perhaps I can help you find the courage and some serenity by simply letting it out.

Here is Warm Seas, from my SPLASH series, which I chose to represent An Evolving Life.

Please click on the image below to enlarge.

Editor's Note

I have had the good fortune of knowing Meryl Spiegel for many years. We met during my BNB days when she was referred to me as a resource for a specific type of photography I was searching for. I also knew her as a writer. Over the years, I have been impressed with Meryl’s talent and creativity, and the honesty of her work. When Meryl began to sketch, paint, work with pastels, she truly overlaid one talent on top of another. The layers were intriguing. I reached out to Meryl recently because I thought that the Hummingbird audience would appreciate her work, and value her process. They say that timing is everything, and in this case it was, because Meryl was thinking about not only “showing” her work, but writing about it too. In our new series, An Evolving Life, Meryl will share the stages, challenges, and meaning of her art, and the journey that coincides with the pieces she highlights. Sandra Novick

Link here to galleries of Meryl Spiegel's work on her website and on instagram.

When users hyperlink to other websites from"Hummingbird," users acknowledge that these sites are governed by separate agreements.

Show 1 comment

Meryl Spiegel

Meryl Spiegel is a photographic artist, whose work reflects her relentless curiosity whether she is on the street, in the fields or by the water. A former journalist for The New York Times with an MFA in Creative Writing, she now focuses primarily on her artwork, but is thrilled to share her thoughts here about how her creative life continues to evolve and expand.

“I picked up a camera years ago thinking it was the only way I could render humanity and its wonders,” she recalls. “Then three years ago, I began to draw and ultimately paint, not knowing I could.”

Also an educator, Meryl teaches photography as well as yoga, a passion that fuels her creativity off the mat. Regularly, she conducts photographic workshops at East End Arts. Last year the Center Moriches Library was awarded a grant from the NY State Council on the Arts to fund a Composition class conducted by Meryl and offered free to its patrons. This summer and fall, she will be conducting more classes at the library.

Meryl lives with her husband, Steven, and her hound dog, Copper, in East Quogue —where she raised her two daughters, Lauren, a Westhampton real estate agent, and Jaclyn, a financial analyst in Manhattan.

Website