"I am not interested in art as a means of making a living, but I am interested in art as a means of living a life." Robert Henri

The object of painting a picture is not to make a picture--however unreasonable this may sound.  The picture, if a picture results, is a by-product and may be useful, valuable, interesting as a sign of what has past.  The object, which is back of every true work of art, is the attainment of a state of being, a state of high functioning, a more than ordinary moment of existence.  In such moments activity is inevitable, and whether this activity is with brush, pen, chisel, or tongue, its result is but a by-product of the state, a trance, a footprint of this state.
These results, however crude, become dear to the artist who made them because they are records of states of being which he has enjoyed and which he would regain.  They are likewise interesting to others because they are to some extent readable and reveal the possibilities of greater existence.

by Chief Seattle, "We did not weave the web of life, we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves."

This painting was inspired by visiting the beautiful island of Kauai.  As lucky as I was to be able to see the incredible sea turtles, fish, coral reefs, and stunning views, will future generations see any of this? 
We must be a voice for the voiceless. 
For the sea turtles caught in nets, for the fish swimming in polluted water, for future generations not born yet.
Whatever your art form, and be assured you have one, use your art to speak for the voiceless:
Sing the beauty of bird songs and wake up  muffled ears,
Write of the strength of trees and stir human thoughts to greatness,
Paint the colors of ocean fish and move the eye to see,
Sew with the gift of cotton, silk, and linen and show hands how to share,
Pray for all the voiceless and move the heart to love
We are all one, all connected,
May we all care.

Got Game?

Now the game. Your game. The one that only you was meant to play. The one that was given to you when you came into this world. You ready? Take your stance. Don't hold nothing back. Give it everything.

- The Legend of Bagger Vance (movie)

We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden.

"Now I was suddenly made aware of another world of beauty and mystery such as I had never imagined to exist, except in poetry...I experienced an overwhelming emotion in the presence of nature, especially at evening. It began to wear a kind of sacramental character for me. I approached it with a sense of almost religious awe, and in the hush which comes before sunset, I felt again the presence of an unfathomable mystery. The song of the birds, the shapes of the trees, the colors of the sunset, were so many signs of this presence, which seemed to be drawing me to itself. " - Bede Griffiths

"Eyes that look are common. Eyes that see are rare." - J. Oswald Sanders

Would you be able to maintain your sense that a painting was good even if ten or more people vehemently disagreed with you?

Do you have the internal strength to follow your own hunches?

If you don't, I can make some guesses as to why.

1.  You have been wrong before.  It is not that you lack passion and conviction it is that you respect the fact that emotion can cloud vision.  I cannot count how many times I have been caught up in some aspect of a painting without being able to see that the whole painting didn't work.  For years I had to get help to decide if something was good enough to mat! 

2.  There are too many art forms to be good at them all.  If the time is not taken to master the basics in any art form then there is no solid foundation upon which to build true mastery.

3.  Intimidation.  You have been bullied by someone with strong opinions, made fun of for a perspective that was different from others, or been shunned by someone who was jealous...etc. 

Nevertheless, if you think something is good have the courage to say so even though you will run the risk of being intimidated, uninformed or wrong.

The consequence of a life lived in suppression is a far greater loss.

"The Great Tradition of Art is Healing, Resonating the Being, Serving Our Equanimity, Raising Our Sympathies, Enhancing Our Existence. " Adi Da Samraj

As I have studied art and artists it is easy to realize that most artists (poets, musicians, painters, etc) while spending their lives passionately involved in their art live in circumstances that can hardly be described as comfortable.  They often live in poverty creating art most of their waking hours.  You may see their art presented in a beautiful frame in a luxurious gallery and yet this is no reflection on the circumstances most artists live in.  True artists will continue their art no matter what hardships or distractions arise.  A serious artist remains focused on their discipline, their passion, no matter what and thus their art becomes transcendent.  Meaning, their art goes beyond the ordinary range of human experience and understanding.  When an art form becomes transcendent it serves a great purpose for others because when they view it (or read or listen to it) they are moved beyond themselves.....and they are changed at heart by this experience.

We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

One of the most both challenging and useful things that happens to me as an artist is to be broken hearted, inconsolable, with emotion showing on my face.  It is part of an artists capability to deal with things in this world that are painful by creating. For me the process of creating when I am hurting and/or despairing helps me to grow and not become hardened.