I knew a woman with a young son. From a young age he was always mesmerized by planes and flying, maybe from his Superman action figure and other flying fixations, but flying was always part of his playtime. His fixation on flying continued so in his pre-teen years his parents bought several pieces of art with planes and jets and helicopters in them, and hung them in his room painted in a bright sky blue color. The young man looked at these artworks every day, and at night before turning out the lights.  He continued to dream of flying.  In his high school years he began some flight classes and got his fixed wing license. He later joined the military and became a pilot of more sophisticated flying machines than the Cessna’s he flew.  His philosophy is –  an acorn grows into a mighty oak, with care, over time.   In his home he now has those same pieces of art. He stated it was a reminder of following your dreams and staying focused.  You can do most anything you set your mind on.   If you can dream it, you can do it, never give up your dreams.    He recently added one more piece to his collection, one that has him dreaming of becoming an astronaut one day. See it, dream it, see yourself doing it, apply yourself, and just do it.

Food for thought: Keep finding goals that are presently just beyond your reach, stay focused, and never stop dreaming upward…

Every time I envision a new piece of art and begin to paint it, I wonder if I can do it, if I can capture what was in my heart and mind. I always start it with a prayer, to me God is first.   Photos and preliminary sketches serve as a reference, but even with them,  every piece is a stretch for me.   I  tend to get lost in the work and lose track of all time.  Minor errors I make can usually be corrected, then I get back on track to try to capture the essence and meaning of the work. Techniques I’ve been taught and some I learned by accident can do the basics, but I find that throwing my heart into a piece I’m  creating brings more meaning, and a better outcome.  My  hope is to  move people’s hearts for the betterment of everyone…to bring out the best in people.   Every artist pours their heart and soul into their creations, and it always amazes me the astonishing things that people create.  From great hearts, come great works –  works that move us, tickle us, soothe us,  motivate us, and inspire us to action.  Live well with art.  NL 🙂