If I cease searching, then, woe is me, I am lost. That is how I look at it – keep going, keep going come what may.
― Vincent van Gogh, The Letters of Vincent van Gogh
Reaching Out– Part of the June Principle Gallery Show
Like many of my paintings, this piece, Reaching Out, a canvas measuring 36″ by 18″, is concerned with the Search.
The search for something that we think is missing or that we need.
Love. Friendship. Knowledge. Wisdom. Fame. Fortune. Peace. Acceptance. Truth. God.
Answers to those needs and questions that never rest within us. Those things that define us as who we truly are and what place we occupy in this universe.
I think that this searching will always be with us, that we shall never find all of the answers we seek. I know that I will never find all of the answers that I desire. But finding just a few answers, even if only a glimpse of an answer, satisfies me for a time, giving me a prod to continue scanning the horizon even when I am most content in my life as it is.
So, I maintain my own personal search.
As, I am sure, you do as well.
The post above is from a few years back, concerning the painting above, a favorite of mine called Reaching Out, which is headed to the Principle Gallery for this year’s June show.
I reran this post because I am thinking about taking a short hiatus from the blog, maybe just a few days. Maybe longer. I am feeling a bit stressed about running short on time for show preparations this year and am trying to find ways to make my time in the studio more productive.
You probably would be surprised at the time it takes to write this thing. It seems like it should only take a few minutes to bang out a few paragraphs of my typical blather. But it’s not the actual writing, which still takes me a while because I struggle with putting words together, but the task of just trying to come up with something each day takes a lot of time in scanning websites, doing research, searching music and videos, etc. I spend quite a bit of time this way, maybe too much.
I am not complaining. I like doing it most days and always feel it contributes something to my actual work. But as I have aged, my painting and prep process take more and more time to complete. Some of it is due to my process becoming more and more layered than in past years. As a result, each new piece takes quite a bit longer than in earlier years. I often feel the pressure of finishing work weighing on my mind when I am trying to get past the blog during these times. Even now, I have several tasks running through my mind as I write this.
And that makes it harder to think about the blog and write effectively to my satisfaction. So, maybe a short break is in order. Of course, I might change my mind tomorrow morning. As Walt Whitman said in Song of Myself:
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself
We’ll see.
In the original post I included the Richard Thompson song below. It’s a lovely song, so if you have time, give a listen. If not, then I’ll see you down that winding road sometime in the future. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe not.
Who knows?
Redtree Times 
I’ve always been impressed with your blog, combining visual, literary, and musical arts nearly every day…and always heartfelt and thoughtful. I truly appreciate how challenging just the writing of the post can be (as I write and rewrite this comment alone several times…) I write a short note for our library newsletter quarterly, and it always takes so much more time than I ever think that it should, and that’s writing about a place that is beloved by the community. (Ironically, I realize now, your repost this morning may be a better article than any I’ve written about a library. 🙂
Anyhow, it’s a beautiful painting and a lovely post. I hope that today is productive and I’ll look forward to each email that I get announcing another blog post, whenever that may be.
See you down the road Gary.
Steve
As one who never can resist a winding road, I enjoyed both this post and the painting. As one who still has what I believe to be some of my best (i.e., most entertaining) posts in draft form, I appreciate what it takes to actually produce something. So many projects, so little time. On the other hand, I’ve always believed that each of us has all the time there is. How we use it is our choice.
I certainly agree with you that we all have whatever amount of time we receive. No more, no less. As a result, as I age, I find time becoming more and more valuable and myself much more miserly with it.
How you have been able to consistently produce pieces of such quality on a daily basis is truly impressive!
I always look forward to reading what’s on your mind so I will miss that part of my morning.
I’ve learned a lot from you and what you have to say almost always sparks an interest that leads me to further inquiry and I am most grateful to you for that.
I have no doubt that it requires a serious time commitment, so I get it.
Enjoy your break!
Thanks, Dave. I enjoy doing the blog as well as the feedback it provides, so chances are I won’t be gone too long. Just need to free up a little time (and brainspace!) right now.