Thursday, July 16, 2009

The road we travel

Wherever you are on your road to success, it has been traveled on before by those you most admire. Some have reached the same point earlier in their lives, some later. However, they have all been in the spot you now stand, with the same hopes, fears, losses and successes. Sometimes the accomplishments seem of little consequence, until they are viewed from a perspective further down the road, when one realizes how that little step fostered a major development in their lives. Sometimes those losses are the biggest step to one's overall advancement because of what they teach you.

The step by step approach to fulfilling your dreams, which is, at best, tedious and limited in effect, has one inevitable impact. It gets things done.

Not once in the process of completing my new series of paintings did I foresee any of them completed on time or being part of a substantial whole. Each painting sat by itself, in various stages of completion, looking nowhere near the original concept that it was started with. It was only the step by step relentless application of one stroke after another that moved them along beyond my greatest imagination. Things happened with them and to me in the process that I had not envisioned. Color choices and their relationships evolved, almost on their own accord, with me being no more than a witness. You can see a partial compilation of the artwork in a new book entitled "Sumbrellas, A Vision of Martha's Vineyard", which is a catalog of images for the exhibition on August 8th at Cousen Rose Gallery.

The implementation of the paintings are a microcosm of the life I am building and if they can be pursued relentlessly, so can my dream. When we are in pursuit of something the steps to achieving it reveals itself one after the other, just like the steps taken. Sure one needs an overall plan, but the steps are minute, and it takes many of them to reach the goal.

6 comments:

John said...

Hi Glenn,

The road we travel is something that I can resonate to particularly that I am now at the brink of retirement. There are so many ways my life could have gone and so many doors opened while others seemingly closed. Little did I realize the work ahead until I was further along the course. Now it is another door that I will go through and more steps being quickly laid out. Some of the steps I don't see yet but I know intuitively they exist. I like your reflections on your art for it can easily be related to by almost anyone. Have you thought of writing a book on your personal reflections? I think that it might give one pause and pleasure as one begins to contemplate their own sense of being.

John Treadwell

Patti said...

hey Glen, hope that this finds you well.
thank you for this. it came at a great time. you know how the universe can do that! :-)
i am away in Pa. at Fitness Camp with my best friend and its day 5. we do a 2 mile natural timed walk each morning, so this passage is especially apropos!
i hope that you are doing well as you prepare for your show. i do hope that we are able to attend.
looking forward to seeing you.
Patti :-)
i am also preparing for the New York International Gift Fair in mid August where we will show our new hand made home decor and personal accessories collections, so right there with you!

Deb said...

Will look to hear stories of your paintings and bid whisk when I get up there. Deb

Anonymous said...

Glenn_
I'm on Glenn Tunstull Road. Have a wonderful and Blessed Day.

Anonymous said...

I met one of your former students a British young lady working at Donna Karen's Store in Sag Harbor Saturday, she remembers you very well and she say you would not remember her. Glenn you have a lot of students in the world and that must make you feel like a complete & whole person.

AJones said...

Loved this entry. Very motivational. Thank you!