Introspective Decisions

I have been introspective of late, searching for my own reasoning behind the things I do and the things I want to accomplish.  I once read that you should order you life with the constant thought that today I am writing how I want people to remember me.  If today were my last day, what would people have to say about me at my funeral?  Would it be positive or negative?  Never mind what I spent my life pursuing as a career, would people be sorry that I was gone?  Like Sydney Cotton said in A Tale of Two Cities (for this you must image Ronald Colman's luscious voice), “If you looked back on that long life and found that you had earned neither gratitude or respect of any living person, twould be a better reflection, wouldn’t it?”  Most certainly. 

I think this above anything else, has shaped how I want to live my life.  I want to create, yes, but also I want to inspire and encourage others to do the same.  To fulfill their potential, to live a happy and creative life.  To be a positive influence for the uplifting of my fellow man (and woman). To make the world a better place.  I want mostly to be the person they say about, she was so positive that she couldn’t find a negative thing to say about anyone.  Sadly, I’m not there yet.  But I will be someday.  I want my art to inspire, my words to encourage, and my smile to be contagious.  As Brooke Shaden said recently, “Have enough courage to encourage; have enough strength to support.”  Words to live by. 

What do you want to be remembered for?  I am so tired of reading all the negativity floating about on Twitter and Facebook.  People can’t stop finding fault with politicians, governments, and different races, even their own family members.  Isn’t it time to start finding the good in people?  Have we forgotten Pollyanna?  Or has Pollyanna gotten to be a bad word?  I for one, don’t mind being called a Pollyanna?  Finding good in everyone is a very lofty goal.

Getting older.

Today I have had my share of memory disturbances.  I woke up “remembering” an event that apparently never happened.  Disorienting, yes.  The more I thought about it the more I remembered it happening just the way I had pictured until it was proved that not only didn’t it happen, it could never have happened.  It’s moments like these that you wonder about your own mental acuity.  I wonder if I’m loosing it.  What could it be?  Alzheimer’s?  Dementia?  Schizophrenia? It’s like that joke: They say the second thing to go is the memory… I can’t remember what the first thing is.  Should I be worried?  Or should I merrily go along and chalk it up to yet another brain-burp?  At this point I vote for the later.  Why worry? It’s like rocking in a rocking chair.  I won’t get anywhere but I’ll have something to do while I get there.

We artists are typically a little crazy anyway, so I guess I will fit right in, in the loony bin.  I think I’ll just put a flower in my hat and hum.  Who cares that I can’t remember what actually came in the mail 2 months ago.  I’m sure I’m good company and that’s enough.

Inspiration from Brooke Shaden

Recently I have come across the most inspiring and motivating young artist/photographer ever: Brooke Shaden.  She would not call herself an artist, but a Fine Art Photographer, but I beg to differ with her on that point.  She has a way of creating the most amazing fantasy art with her camera that I have ever seen.  She has a plan and goes for it.  She makes videos and blogs and encourages others to create and tell their own story constantly.  This young woman has gone against the system and jumped into the field without following the accepted rules.  Artist break the rules all the time, but she is a master at it.  She is phenomenal.

What I have learned from her has renewed my vigor to pursue my passion.  To be creative constantly, to ignore the calendar telling me that my time has passed me by.  To ignore the family telling me that artists never make money, never succeed.  To ignore the teachers and professors saying it has to be done this way and no other.  Who cares?  I feel passionate about art, about my style, about my own life and goals.  Why not pursue them with all I have.  If I don't, who will ever hear my voice.  I will be a passing breeze and then gone.  So I have picked up my pencil and pen, my glue and scraps of paper and again began work on some collages that I so love to work on.

If you want to see something of Brooke Shaden here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwicQal3hgA