The arts encourage us to reflect, to view things in a new or unique perspective.
The arts offer a celebration of culture, solace, entertainment, beauty, pleasure & peace.
Because the arts inspire, bring ease & beauty to the chaos of our lives, we tend to think of artists lives & how they work as such.
Phrases like natural talent are tossed about like petals in the wind.

Autumn Trail 4ftx3ft avail for purchase

I had the pleasure of seeing Vancouver’s amazing production of Showboat years ago.
A friend’s cousin played a major role in the musical.
Visiting backstage, she spoke of grueling rehearsals, a demanding 6 day work week with several performances daily.
This schedule had been ongoing for months.

I couldn’t help but ask the question.
“What do you do on your day off?”.
“Voice, dance and acting lessons.”
Whaaaaa?
“No staying in pjs all day reading a book??”
She gently laughed with a sincere smile made to light up a stage.
“It’s what most of us do.”
“Landing a part like this is highly competitive. We recognize the privilege and work very hard at our craft.”

She assured me after a show’s duration she celebrated with a well deserved break.
Much of her ‘off time’ was dedicated to researching roles, attending auditions, and honing her skills with lessons.

If you know a working professional artist in any genre, you have a glimpse of the dedication, structure and grueling schedules many live their lives by.

It’s a life many choose gladly, others feel the life has chosen them.
It’s a career with tremendous work- load & challenges often misunderstood.

Watching the sweat drip from an athlete’s brow, performing in front of thousands, we feel their efforts in the most tangible sense.
We witness passion, physical, mental, even emotional tension first hand.
It all enfolds before us.

For artists, the effort is oft behind closed doors.
We see the fruits of their labour, not the action.
Soaring tempos, lyrical words, a seemingly effortless dance, beauty in clay, glass, canvas.
The bulk of creation is internal, then develops within studio solitude. A pen or brush in hand, a lone guitar.
No less taxing than the athlete we applaud.

A deeper level of exhaustion strikes me after a painting marathon than running one.
Absorbed in artwork I may be more drained emotionally & mentally than in a full Ironman.
Artwork asks all of me on every level.

Like the young actress, I am grateful for the priviledge. It’s work I gladly do.

A friend’s advice came decades ago while I was working a ‘regular job’ painting in spare time.
I just wanted a normal, quiet, even dull life, I said.
I enjoyed creating, but the demands of painting for others, and selling the work I discovered, terribly stressful.
It wasn’t’ a life for me.

“You are an artist at heart. You will never have a normal dull life. Once you accept this you will be able to move forward. Understanding of course, the very difficult challenging road ahead, but it’s the only life for you.”

His chosen career? Reverend.
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As always, I welcome your feedback on the new work & post.
Please note new pricing is now in effect.
Thanks most graciously for the support of the work and making my path to art a welcome & honourable one.