The Meaning of the Eternal

My journey with art began about 40 years ago when, as a child, I received my first drawing set. My deep interest in practicing art, however, has been subsumed by an even greater interest in the path of my spiritual practice, which is Zen. Thus my life has been a mixture of these two, sometimes coinciding, sometimes colliding. Sometimes I manage to do one or the other, sometimes both, and sometimes neither.

My greatest joy is in working with oils. However, given the demands on my time, my production of pieces over the decades has not been numerous. It’s been more of a slow steady work. I use traditional painting techniques, but shun formalist stylings.

Owing to the very spiritual nature of my work, I prefer to begin my practice of art with an invocation. It goes something like this:

Dear Gods and Goddesses,
Angels and Muses,
Of Art and of Painting.
Please bless this work today.
Please bless this studio,
Please bless these tools and materials,
Please bless these pieces,
Please bless this Artist and this activity,
And please bless this website.
Bless us with talent and ability,
Bless us with strength and courage,
Bless us with wisdom and knowledge,
And all the other wonderful things that you so generously give.
Thank you for all that you have given in the past,
And for all that you will give in the future.
It is very appreciated.