Croatian artist’s perspective offers poignant reminder

Twenty-five years ago, Jeannine Rainbolt bought her husband, Gene, a watercolor by a Croatian artist named Zvonimir Mihanovic.

Gene Rainbolt has followed the artist’s work since that time, awed by Mihanovic’s skillful rendering of the crystal-clear, blue water that flows along the Dalmatian coastline and the beauty with which he captures light, boats and reflections of objects below.

Art critics say few artists have so accurately and authentically transformed images of the Mediterranean to canvas.

“The Mihanovic landscapes capture moments of idealized silence and stillness — pebbles disappearing into the deep blue waters, boats afloat on the shimmering sea, small solitary harbors, stone cottages solid and proud, the underbrush growing among the rocks, rugged pieces jetting out into the sea, skies resting upon calm waters, distant and fading horizons ...,” one critic said.

Jeannine would not be surprised to know that a few weeks ago, when Gene found himself a few hours from Split, Croatia, he contacted the artist to see if he could visit his gallery. Mihanovic not only invited Gene and me to the gallery, he took us on a walking tour of the city and then to lunch at his home and in the afternoon to the studio where he works.

As we walked outside at the end of our visit, I noticed the marble piece above his entry. Carved into the stone was a sailing ship, flanked on one end by a thunderstorm with bolts of lightning and on the other end by rays of sunshine. When I asked Mihanovic why he chose that design, his simple reply was, “It is like life.”

For me, it was a reminder that even the most successful among us do not always have smooth sailing. A life well lived holds times of difficulty and uncertainty — as well as the promise of a new day.