The Procession

"The Procession," 32"x78", Oil on Linen.  

Collection of the artist.

I recently spoke on a panel along with a group of highly accomplished arts-professionals.  For my small, and not so highly accomplished part, I was asked to share with college students a many-hats-perspective of making a living in the arts.  I spoke of teaching high school and college classes, maintaining a private art studio, running a portrait painting business, selling original art, little lecture gigs at local art leagues, etc… Sometimes all of these things are happening at once, sometimes none of them are happening at all!  The point I shared was that an arts-career (for me) is nebulous, not linear! 

What occurred to me after the panel discussion was how unimportant a singularly defined art career is for me now.  I did not long for the amazing careers many of the panelists had.  I am exhausted by the extreme efforts I had made for prestige, to be “known” over the years as an illustrator, or portrait painter, or artist.  I think of my college degrees earned, the countless exhibits entered, and the studio we built.  Lots of moving targets with not real fixed position…no real “why.”

All things are no longer measured in direct relationship to my art.  Purpose has changed.  My purpose now?  To provide for my family.  That is it.  I aspire to all things good about being a Godly husband and father (in that order).  Yes, I frequently fail, but I am working on it.  The target is in a fixed position, and I have not grown weary!

To simply say how diminished the family-unit is within our broken society is a gross understatement.  One does not need to be a psychologist to see the walking-wounded, especially in the classroom: societal destruction caused by broken families…mother wounds, and especially father wounds.

I also see amazing family-units, in all shapes and sizes!   

The Procession is a symbol of our family-unit.  It is a profession of my role as servant leader to my family.  The message echoes the Christian pillars I aspire to model: to reject passivity, to earn an eternal reward, to accept responsibility, and to lead courageously as a man.  All of the sliding, turning, pulling, rolling, carrying, dragging, drifting, sniffing parts proceed toward a common light…in unison.

Today (anyway), I can discern my joy from happiness, my purpose from status.  I know my "why." It is the love of family I wish to share through my art…despite my career!