World Views Blog
Rudolf Nureyev
Excerpts of a letter Rudolf Nureyev wrote, to the dance community about his own life as a dancer, while dying of AIDS. His words remind me of why I paint or act or write. Not for the glory but for the shear joy of doing, the simple thrill of exploring my curiosities,...
The Choice
Let them eat cake. Why should Richard Branson send himself into orbit? Is it to send a message to those deadbeat dads that throwing their children's lives away is a tragic waste of their child-making abilities. It's not rocket science. Or maybe it is, a little. I...
Self Esteem, Entitlement and White Privilege
The Trap of Self-esteem The self-esteem craze began with the Power of Positive Thinking, years ago. I certainly have written my fair share on the subject. This approach to life has also become known as the Law of Attraction. Basically, the premise is, "if you can...
Not Giving a F#ck
Reading "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" by Mark Manson, reinforced a few core principals for me The book read like a fully fleshed-out version of the RM Theory, a survival philosophy I devised in High School. As George Orwell said in 1984, "a good book tells you...
Seeing What We Want to See
Inattentional Blindness - Falling for the Trick We've all seen them on the internet. I'm talking about those amazing chalk drawings on sidewalks that look 3-D. Or those optical illusions that make things appear differently than they really are. These are examples of...
The Power of Positive Painting Story
People thought I was crazy trying to create a system that would make drawing and painting available to anyone who applied themselves, what I call the "democritization" of art. That was the goal, to distil the processes of master realists and combine them with the...
Underbelly of Abuse
Chanel Miller, The Survivor My father didn’t want to ruin the reputation of the doctor at children’s hospital in Detroit who sexually assaulted me. Can you imagine the betrayal this young lady, Chanel Miller, Brock Tutner's victim, felt at the hands of our justice...
LSD Research
The following is a letter to his son from a loving father, in hopes it might help others who are struggling with drugs.The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Dear Richard, I’ve done some research to see if any of your assertions about the positive...
My Pillow
No, not that one! When I was a child I dreamt I ate a marshmallow and awoke to find my pillow missing. Gone! I vowed to never trust another pillow so completely as I did then, when I was but a foolish ten. I grew up so unruly, knowing I should never really rest my...
Time for a Wealth Tax
The game is rigged alright. We’ve all been pitted against each other while the man gets away with the loot. When, oh when will we wake up to the biggest scam in history? It is time we had a wealth tax. We need a way to reverse the incredible income inequality that has...
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"My Backyard" are part of "Identity and Self" #exhibition at @parkcirclegallery through April 25. Lemme know if and when you'd like to meet me there for a #privatetour, Wednesday-Saturday. #artist #charlestonartist ... See MoreSee Less
In Charleston, the name Gedney Howe is legendary three times over.
My #oilportrait of Gedney @lawofficesofgedneyhowe Howe III in his office. I am so fortunate and honored to have been able to share some beautiful moments with such exceptional individuals and those who love them. Gedney Howe III is one such individual, a man who gave so much to this community, as Charleston’s preeminent attorney. I had the privilege of speaking with him briefly before he unexpectedly passed last year. We had planned the portrait to happen while he was still with us. Though in mourning, Gedney IV helped me capture the vision he had for his father’s portrait.
Gedney III and I had one very special person in common, the late Buzz Harper (the portrait above, the iconic gentleman in the white suit and red tie), our dear friend and the designer of the interior of this office, as well as the Calhoun Mansion, which when it changed hands, sadly lost the distinctive Harper touch. The chair in the portrait, once owned by President Howard Taft, a beautiful marble and lovely portrait grace the dark wood law bookshelves. Formidable, but reassuringly warm. Gedney stands confidently, but again, with a touch of warmth. He cared about the #law but he also cared for the people he served so well throughout his storied career.
The portrait will be on display at my exhibition, "Identity and Self" at the Park Circle Gallery in North Charleston, opening today, Friday April 3, 5-7 pm. The exhibition runs through April 25. ... See MoreSee Less
In Greek mythology, Cassandra was a prophetess whose fate was to foretell future events correctly but never to be heeded or believed. She was the daughter of Priam, Troy’s last king, and his wife Hecuba. The god Apollo fell in love with #Cassandra and offered her the gift of foretelling the future in return for her love. Cassandra agreed to the bargain and received Apollo’s gift but then refused to keep her word. In retaliation, Apollo cursed her so that her prophecies would never be believed. When we warn of what is happening to our country today, this is how it feels. #painting #artcollector @highlight ... See MoreSee Less
The #Ghost of #Denmark Vessey, 24×20″ oil on linen, framed by the artist
#Vessey appears as an indomitable spirit, standing with dignity, bible in hand, as if he has risen above the hatred of the racists, who’s anger and fear, represented by a posse of angry white men, who have driven his body into the ocean. But they cannot touch his spirit, which endures forever. Denmark Vessey led the first slave revolt in SC and in America. This will be part of my upcoming exhibition at Park Circle Gallery in North Charleston Opening April 3 5-7 pm running through April.
More info:
www.facebook.com/share/18MGV5rPpw/?mibextid=wwXIfr ... See MoreSee Less
Remembering 20x 20″ oil on gallery wrapped canvas – currently on exhibit at @artattheedge Rivers Edge Gallery in Wyandotte, MI. See it in person!
An #oldbutgold #farmer / #hunter pauses to remember the days when everything made sense, if there ever was such a time. We get lost in the memories, which have depended and become something somehow better than how we remembered them. Something not typical for me, I am painting overcast conditions, not a direct, dramatic source of light. Ambient lighting is an opportunity to focus on local color, which I enjoyed very much. Perfect for the #collector's reading room or man cave or for those who revere old age and the worn crusty face of country wisdom. ... See MoreSee Less
“Emergence” is a painting about what happens when you finally stop hovering at the edge of your own life and step all the way in. In the piece, the figure is submerged in water, with the outside world slipping softly out of focus. There’s no safe distance here—only the quiet courage of surrender. The boundaries between self and environment begin to blur, inviting you to feel rather than analyze, to inhabit the moment rather than stand outside it.
This work is for the person who is done skimming the surface—someone who has felt the cost of distraction and now longs to be fully present with what matters: their relationships, their calling, their healing, their creativity. Hung in a space where you read, reflect, or simply breathe, “Immersion” becomes a visual nudge back to your own depth: a reminder that life doesn’t happen at the shoreline. It happens when you let yourself go under.
It will be part of my exhibition, "Identity and Self" at Park Circle Gallery opening April 3, 5-7 pm, running through April. ... See MoreSee Less