Thought for The Day - Originality

When I was in high school, much of what we created as art projects were either copied in total or style of other artists. At the time - the late 70's, we were still into the casual, less stylized look and still lifes were the order of the day. College was far more freeing, though, as I look back on it, the environment had a lot to do with it. A college, situated in the Chicago downtown area, teachers working professionals; it's a miracle I didn't come out of there with a series of solo shows!

It wasn't until I put down the brushes and pencils - buried them almost - that I allowed my own thoughts to conjure original subject matter. You will see mostly abstract art in my collection, but even the people are straight out of my head. I have a couple photos around that I would like to render someday! But when I do, there was most certainly be my own unique spin on them.

Why the thought about originality? Because, in a sense, this is our greatest asset as humans. We are all born with a unique perspective, another way to consider life and to lend one's talents and perspective to the collective. We may be influenced by others, maybe emulate them, but when I was in high school and each student struggled to render the same still life, each person's seat in the room, and there unique eye, made each drawing different. And that my friends, is how we build our world! Each one bringing their unique self to the table.

Thought for The Day - Playin' to The Crowd

Shaken up! 8 x 11 pencil

At some point, we all do it, we become people pleasers. No one wants to spend every second of their lives "swimming upstream." We need relationship, a sense of family and community. And yet, we are individuals, our own being with thoughts and ideas that are distinct from one another.

What we agree to be as a group or a people allows familiarity. The need for mutual agreement can seem like a force greater than the individual. But never let the crowd or community kill your individuality. Listen, first, to God as he directs your path and as necessary, follow the common consensus.

Thought for The Day - Start of the Day

Fresh Opportunity...

It's dark, but it's a new day. This time of the year, the birds are sleeping in at this point in the morning. The only noise I hear are occasional trucks rumbling down the street or a car. But this is my time to quietly reflect. This is my time to pour out my soul in the best ways: on paper or on a canvas. In the sanctuary of this solitary place, in the quiet, I find peace before moving into the world for service.

I can imagine it is this way for many, rising early in preparation for a new day. My way of starting the day is as individual as can be, and I'm certain it is the same for many. I was told years ago that a "Christian" should rise early to spend time reading the Bible and pray and I tried it for many years. But I spent a lot of that time trying to stay awake; the "devotion" was less than sincere. This method is no less sacred or "devoted;" I am more committed to this process as I was the maintaining of man's interpretation of God's word. And the remainder of my day finds me as devoted to the cause of Christ as I've ever been.

It is the individual's responsibility to carry out his mission in life. It is each person's responsibility to see their way through this life, exercising one's individuality and service to both God and man. And it begins with a commitment, a desire to do so. It is maintained by constant vigilance and discipline of self. When a person learns to master self, they learn the value of life.

Thought for The Day - My Journey is not Yours

Soul Dance 8 x 11 Colored Pencils

I've never struggled with this; the logic has always made sense to me. "Everyone can't walk in your shoes," that thought has been part of me as far back as I can remember. As a child, I could sit and look at a book for hours! And as I learned to read I could read book after book. My mother put me in tow with cousins when I was about 8 or 9 years old, to go to the library, a good 6 blocks from our apartment. And what was I reading? Books on Black history, slavery and (my childhood hero) Frederick Douglas. Sure I liked playing with the many cousins who lived nearby, but very early on, I figured out, no matter how close they are to you, people choose to take advantage of kindness and tell your secrets. While I won't say that drove me to the "inner world" of reading and art, it contributed to it.

My outlet isn't yours...

I have a great friend, we met years ago as young men, attending a fairly large church nearby. He owned a car detail shop, where he would clean cars by hand. Now the business was located in the parking structure of a major catalog company at the time, and his enclosed garage within it, was in the basement. But it was always his dream - and still is - to have a location on a busy street. He's an outgoing type, a naturally kind, generous and friendly guy. Years ago, we compared personalities when he asked me to render a building design for him. He wanted to sit with me and tell me step-by-step what he wanted the design to look. I told him that isn't my work style; I prefer you tell me what you want, allow me the time to render a few ideas and then present them. He didn't get it; he said he liked for people to watch him "clean their cars" and show him what he was doing wrong. Honestly, I never believed he wanted that, though, in his head at the time, it made perfect sense. Now I could clean my car by hand; Saturday evenings was the time I would clean my wife's and my car, cleaning them inside and out. I would have jazz music  or maybe Gospel music playing from one car while I cleaned the other. But I always preferred that I have that time alone. I really didn't want someone around telling me "you missed a spot," or "you really should use a chamois rather than a terry cloth towel because ______. " No, let me have this time to do my work as I see fit.

I watched my children as they grew up and wondered what their outlets would be. My daughter has a wonderful, caring personality and speaks well in public settings, but that isn't her "thing." My middle son, when he was 3 or 4, could play for hours with Hot Wheel cars, but he always wanted to build cranes and pulley systems - using my weight bench "grrrr!" When he was about 6, he had a list of 'jobs' he wanted to do, but the one that seemed to get the most attention was "I want to be a working man!" Words he would say with force and his hands stretched out like he was holding a bunch of tools in both. While my daughter didn't have an idea what she wanted to do until she went to college, my middle son figured it out by his freshman year in high school. Both are bold and willing to try out different areas. When I ask my youngest what he wants to do - and believe me I've been asking for a long time - now he says "I haven't figured it out yet." Actually, I'm sure I know what he would love to do, but it's hard to agree that you will spend the remainder of your life in a room "playing video games."

I've found multiple ways to express myself and so very often, it doesn't require that I utter a word. But words, images, concepts and viewpoints are intricate to my way of contributing to the world. Final analysis? Be. Create the means by which you will contribute to this world and surely it will fit in the grand scheme of this world.