Ernest Hemingway, A Letter from Cuba (1934)

• "All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you; the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse, and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was. If you can get so that you can give that to people, then you are a writer."

Hemingway was talking about writing, but the description strikes me as a truth about the creative process. I often like to think of Art as being "truer" or "better than the real thing". When I escape to that place inside the right brain that allows me to see true beauty, I think to myself, "I have got to capture that visual experience". It is a humbling and spiritual experience. A gift from God himself.

My hope is always that the "experience" that I had, felt, savored or felt strong emotions for will somehow bridge the gap between myself (the artist) and the viewer (you) as I create a work of Art.

We often pass through our day to day lives without remembering that everything in front of us is truly, truly ALIVE. If ever there was a person who blurred the lines between Art and Life, it was Hemingway. Be it Picasso or Van Gogh or F. Scott Fitzgerald or Hemingway or a Kurt Cobain (and on and on) we often view these creative beings as a visionary or a tortured soul. Living with one foot in both worlds, never quite able to pull the two together during their own lifetime. Myth becomes legend and we love a good legend, don't we? 

It all makes for a good story, but they would never be remembered if they didn't have the creative goods to stand out in their own time. Or the ability to deliver the "goods".

If you enjoy kicking these ideas around, like me, drop me a line and let me know what you think. -Darby    

Seeking inspiration, wherever you can find it, is a must for an artist. Especially when economic times are such as they are. Few people realize or appreciate how many hours can be involved in the creative process. In my case, I like to overload my mind with ideas for paintings and let the ideas fight it out, lol. Eventually, after the final fight, a winner emerges all the stronger for having survived the whole ordeal. Being an artist can seem 99.5% mental sometimes.

Why the photo? I find inspiration from our 26th President, Teddy Roosevelt. In brief, a somewhat frail child who overcame the odds to become a powerful force of a man, soldier and politician. He encouraged his fellow man to seize the day, to stand up and fight and not to take no for an answer if it means giving up on your dreams. Of course, that means hard work, perserverence, more hard work, obscurity, perhaps, and faith. Most of all, I like his quote that says, "Do what you can, with what you have, right now!" 

Today is the start of a new year. As you rethink your life and your reason for existance, be complete. Set your sights, write down your goals, break them up into achievable steps, take aim and fire your gun! You may miss. The gun may misfire. Your target may move. Many things can happen! Keep your composure like Teddy would. Reload and take aim again. This safari is not over unless you say it is, my friends.

It is -10 degrees here, today. Am I going to go outdoors and paint? No. That's not my thing. But I will probably drive some backroads, take some pictures on this sunny day, seeking inspiration along the way.

Peace out,
-Darby