{"product_id":"after-the-rain-1","title":"Original Painting from the Stillwater Collection, 'After the Rain'","description":"\u003cdiv\u003eAfter the Rain\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e72h x 48w inches \/ 182.88h x 121.92w cm\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eacrylic paint on canvas\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eValued at $10,500 USD\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRain does not ask for permission before it falls. It is needed by everything — asked for by nothing. I stumbled across this reality one morning. The rain was just lightly falling atop the lake. Water on water. I was mesmerized by how the rain changed the lake's regular flow. It was still. Strikingly still. And yet the lake was trembling with every raindrop, as though each bead of water were slowly reviving it. It changed everything. The world I knew softened into something kaleidoscopic — blues and browns swirling into each other. And the more I sat and stared, the more I realized how energizing it was. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRain activates reflection — \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eeverywhere\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Each drop creates a tiny spark of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003elight.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e It takes something mundane and gives it a gentle radiance, as light interacts with it. Dry pavement becomes its own tiny wonder. Stones, sticks, leaves echo magnificence. I even love how the rain feels — soaking through my clothes. I know some people hate it. I get this, really. But I can't help but see it as a thousand tiny diamonds, falling — for me. Because that's the whole point about gifts. They're offered freely, and the only real choice we have is whether to accept them or not. Rain doesn't ask for our permission. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eNeither does mercy\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis struck me, and I can no longer ignore the similarities.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMercy is necessary — freshening, lifegiving, completely and totally undeserved. We cannot earn the rain, just as we cannot earn mercy. It merely falls. And when it does, it changes how we see the whole world. It acts like a shockwave — replacing ordinary reality with sparks of light. Mercy on mercy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe interesting thing is that rain is often associated with times of great sadness. Except that is never its fault. Rain may fall during a great thunderstorm, but it is not the cause of it. In the same way, mercy often falls in times of conflict. At least that's when I see it most — in so many of those little moments. Like when I come home from a long day, tired and cranky, and my husband simply hugs me. He doesn't scold, doesn't match my irritability. He just gives me mercy. It's so beautifully simple, like one individual raindrop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAfter the Rain\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e captures this feeling for me — this urge to break out in an uncontrollable smile and let the rain fall on me, fall like real mercy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuction details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStarting bid:\u003c\/strong\u003e $9450 USD. Bid in the auction panel above. Each bid must be at least the \"Next Minimum Bid\" shown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuction closes: \u003c\/strong\u003eFriday October 16 at 7:00 PM Pacific Time (PT).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium\u003c\/strong\u003e: Acrylic on canvas, unframed. Signed by the artist, with a certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEvery bid is binding. \u003c\/strong\u003ePlease bid only if you intend to buy. The winner receives an emailed invoice and must pay within 12 hours, or the painting may go to the next-highest bidder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAll auction sales are final. \u003c\/strong\u003eThere are no returns or exchanges. The only exceptions are damage in transit or a material misdescription reported within 5 days of delivery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShipping: \u003c\/strong\u003eFree within the U.S.; $300 USD flat rate anywhere outside the U.S. International buyers pay any import duties and taxes. To protect it in transit, the painting is removed from its stretcher, rolled, and shipped in a commercial tube. It arrives unstretched and ready for your framer; the stretcher is not included. Allow 2–4 weeks from payment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLocal pickup (Seattle area): \u003c\/strong\u003efree, by appointment, within 14 days of payment. Picked-up paintings stay on their stretcher.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCopyright: \u003c\/strong\u003eyou own the painting. The artist keeps the copyright and reproduction rights.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuestions? \u003c\/strong\u003eEmail \u003ca href=\"mailto:\/\/auctions@rachellekearns.com\" title=\"Email link to auctions@rachellekearns.com\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eauctions@rachellekearns.com\u003c\/a\u003e before the auction closes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy placing a bid, you agree to our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.rachellekearns.com\/policies\/terms-of-service#section-20\" title=\"Auction Terms\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAuction Terms\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53971324731708,"sku":null,"price":10500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0937\/7703\/5580\/files\/untitled-0223.jpg?v=1787709938","url":"https:\/\/www.rachellekearns.com\/products\/after-the-rain-1","provider":"Rachelle Kearns Fine Art Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}