Free Inspiration
What Did Your Family Think?
Was ‘creativity’ a bad word in your family when you were growing up? Or was it a badge of honor? What did you do with the knowledge, with that recognition of your true self? What did
More Interesting Questions.
I met him as I was taking my daily stroll through the city. An artist painting the landscape. I stopped to chat, as I do, and take a few pictures of a working artist at work. He
There was only one thing to do. We broke in.
At the extraordinary James Turrell exhibition at Pace London, I felt as if I was falling back in time. I’ve shared so many conversations with Turrell over the years. It was he who first taught me
Stealing an Interview with Vik Muniz in Rome
I brought no Italian to Rome. At the Brazilian Embassy, I tell the guard that I am to see the great artist Vik Muniz. The guard speaks no English. My best mime only warrants a raised
The Secret That Mary Poppins Taught Me.
I was having was one of those days and life was bringing changes that tinted my spirits blue. I turned to the TV, hoping to escape my melancholy mood. Mary Poppins. I never watch kids’ films,
Starting To Fly
Launch. The very word made me queasy. What was a launch anyway? And why does everyone have one but me? “But didn’t you already launch?” ask well-meaning friends. Did I? Fate intervened, as she does, and
The Start Of His Journey
His name was Henrik. He’d been an artist in Hungary until he faced the stark reality that there were no opportunities there. London has the biggest art market in Europe so, like many of us, Henrik
The Artist Who Gave Away His Dream
“I used to have a band,” he told me. He’d played lead guitar and sang. It was the 80’s and he worked hard, toured the country, and started to gain a small following. But he never
Do You Believe?
I think it’s in an artist’s nature to have faith in the unknown, to deal with intangibles. After all, we work from nothing more than an idea and a dream. It takes faith to actualize the
Can You Hear Me Now?
When I worked in the art business I talked on the telephone constantly. So much for the glamorous life, who knew that cauliflower ear was an occupational hazard for art dealers? But I was moving and
What’s Your Story?
Though we’d never met before, I was just as excited as if I were meeting an old friend. She’d read my blog post about the first artist I ever met. He was a blind man, who
Don’t Wait Until You Say Goodbye
I’ve just returned from the funeral of my dear friend Evan. Saying good-bye has got to be one of the most difficult challenges we face in life, especially when we look back and see how much
Meet Working Artist Donna Skaropoulou
Donna Skaropoulou is a painter. Originally from the U.K., she traveled to Greece in her early twenties, and there fell in love with the sounds, scents and colors of Mykonos. She stayed: married, had children, and
My Landlady is an Angel
I’d moved to England three years earlier, living in a small town in the country. It was pretty, but also pretty lonely. Facebook was my closest friend. And it was on Facebook that I first met
The Wise 11-Year Old Artist
My nephew Phoenix turned 11-years old yesterday, though I’ve always secretly suspected him of being 41. I’m visiting to help him celebrate his 11 years and see what new things he can teach me. He didn’t
Men Like Him
He thought his career was over. Bill Jay had been a professor of the History of Photography. He’d published dozens of books and hundreds of articles. He’d founded two majorly influential photography magazines. He’d travelled, given
Meet Working Artist Leslie Jean-Bart
“Becoming a working artist has literally saved my life.” So admits Haitian-born photographer Leslie Jean-Bart. Now an avowed New Yorker, Leslie has spent the past few years as the sole caretaker of his mother who suffers
Do You Hear That? It’s Life Asking You A Question.
What do you want to do when you grow up? Do you think we ever stop asking ourselves that question? It seems to be one of life’s great mysteries. When I was young I yearned to