God is not in the vastness of greatness. He is hid in the vastness of smallness. He is not in the general. He is in the particular. When we understand the particular, then we will know all.
–Pearl S. Buck, God’s Men (1951)
…hid in the vastness of smallness…
Though I do not adhere to any single belief system or single deity, I love the excerpt above from Pearl Buck. We often look to the greatest, the loudest, the brightest– the furthest reach of everything– as proof of the miracle of the world in which we exist. The grandeur of the tallest mountains and the deepest seas.
But so often just the smallest of those things we look past while searching for some reason for our existence hold the very proof we seek. Sometimes small things hold the majesty and power of tall mountains, deep oceans and the sun high in our sky.
If only we pause to look close enough…
Well, that’s my statement for this year’s Little Gems show at the West End Gallery which opens tonight. There’s ample proof of the vastness to be found in smallness in this year’s show from so many of the gallery’s artists. I’ve participated in every Little Gems show since 1995– my first public display of my work– and this might well be the best of those 29 shows. It’s a beautiful exhibit of the power to be found in small works.
Hope you can get to see it.
FYI- The group at the top, all included in this show, are true Little Gems, each measuring just under 2″ by 2.”
I thought I would include a word about the death of Burt Bacharach, who passed away at the age of 94. What a career and what a unique talent! I was both stunned and surprised going through the list of songs he wrote. Most were easily recognizable as the hits he had during the 60’s and 70’s but some were news to me. For example, I was surprised he wrote The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Or The Story of My Life for Marty Robbins, Magic Moments for Perry Como and several others. I’ve sang along to all these songs and more not knowing they were Burt Bacharach songs.
Of course, he is best known for his work with Dionne Warwick. Theirs was one of those rare perfect unions of composer and artist. I played this video here of the two of them back in 2016. It shows Bacharach working with Warwick on a new song before the recording session and displays how beautifully the two worked together. It’s fascinating to see how he communicates his vision for the song to Warwick and how she easily she comprehends and responds to his cues. It goes a long way towards explaining why she was such a perfect vessel for his music. The clip ends with the full recording of the song. The song is Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets.
Good stuff.
Redtree Times 