None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
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This painting is called The Furthest Reach, a 20″ by 24″ canvas headed to the Kada Gallery for my November show. This has been done for a few weeks now and has been at the edge of my sight as I have been prepping for this show. There is something quite reassuring about having it there, serving as a reminder of the trust I have placed in that inner voice that Emerson references in the quote above.
It has taken a number of years and many thousands of hours spent in the relative isolation of the studio to truly trust that voice, to feel as though I have separated my work from all external noise and distraction, including the subjective criticism and opinion of others. It has allowed me to use this trust as the sole criteria for my work, to no longer judge it against the work or opinion of others.
With this trust the work becomes self-sovereign and, as I have written here earlier this year, the island serves as a symbol of this self-sovereignty while the stance of the Red Tree, a symbol of the work for me here, represents the liberated feeling attained in the realization of this trust. I see the dock as the gateway to outer world, meaning that while there is trust in the work spawned from this inner voice there is also a willingness to share it with this outer world.
Again, that’s how I have come to see it in the last few weeks here in the studio. Perhaps you will see something quite different. Maybe you will see a confidence and tranquility in it that meshes with your own experience or perhaps simply a pleasant scene with a quiet warmth. Or maybe you won’t see anything in at all.
Whatever your inner voice whispers to you, place some trust in it…
Redtree Times 
All of this seems so true to me – Emerson’s words, your words – and one thing my trip has reminded me is that a first step is finding the silence to allow that internal voice to be heard. You can’t trust a voice that’s hidden in the din of the world, after all!
I think your observation about finding silence in order to hear that voice is a really great point. It’s so easy to confuse the message heard, if you can make it out at all, when you are immersed in the din of the world. The silence of some sort of isolation is the key.
On Sun, Oct 27, 2013 at 7:12 AM, Redtree Times
A certain defiance or even celebration not overwhelmed by the surrounding blues?
I think there is a certain joy and warmth in this blue that doesn’t diminish either defiance or celebration.
On Sun, Oct 27, 2013 at 7:29 AM, Redtree Times
The tree and the dock make all the difference in the world. Without them, the image would be beautiful, but with a lonely feeling. Thank you for taking the time to lay out your personal symbols like this. I have purchased “In Quiet Places” and am enjoying the images and what you have to say about the meaning that objects (such as chairs) have for you.
I am so glad you are enjoying the book. And I think your observations on the feeling that the tree and dock add to this scene are correct. They add a certain air of humanity that gives it the depth that I feel it has. Many thanks!