Walking Amongst the Masters

Yesterday I spent the day walking amongst the masters at the Art Institute of Chicago.  I took my time, I connected with both the pieces and their creators, and I learned lessons for my own journey of self-mastery.

  

Auguste Rodin 

MASTERS FOLLOW THEIR HEART. During his lifetime, Rodin's sculptures were severely criticized. The harsh criticism and controversy surrounding his work affected Rodin, but he refused to change what he knew was most true to his heart. By 1900, he was a world-renowned artist.   

Edward Hopper 

MASTERS NEVER QUIT. Edward Hopper suffered from poverty, bitterness and emotional fatigue. He struggled for years to define his own style. He said, "It's hard for me to decide what I want to paint. I go for months without finding it sometimes. It comes slowly." 

VINCENT VAN GOGH

MASTERS OVERCOME CHALLENGES. Van Gogh experienced deep inner pain and physical challenges beyond measure. He was in a mental institution when he accomplished some of his most popular works, including "The Starry Night."  He was allowed short and supervised walks, which is when he completed his work...being constantly watched, and racked with emotional angst. 

Georges Seurat

MASTERS ARE PATIENT.  "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte" took two full years to complete, much of the time being spent on just getting the sketches down on the canvas, outside in the park. I was also amazed to learn that Charles Ray, a more contemporary artist, took 10 years to complete his piece "Hinoki". In a world of instant gratification, I am so grateful to be reminded of the rewards of patience. 

Claude Monet

MASTERS DON'T ALWAYS SUFFER. This may seem like an odd point to make, but it was an important part of my walk. After learning about all the trials and struggles of so many artists, I walked over to this painting by Claude Monet and read the caption. This is a painting of his home, quietly featuring his wife and young child.  Together they enjoyed financial security, playing amongst flowers in the sun, and the peace of family life. Monet did have hardships too, but this painting helps me remember that enjoying life is just as noble a path as pure artistic suffering!

There were hundreds more.  My feet joyously hurt by the end of the day.  My head was swimming with images, colors, thoughts, feelings. All day long, I licked my lips, thirsty for a paintbrush in my hands, or a pen or a guitar.  I bought a beautiful new journal in the bookstore to remind me of these magical moments.  There are hundreds of blank lines in there, ready with anticipation for me to seize them and make a mess of them with my curly "q's" and "f's", blotted out mistakes, and uninhibited raw life. These masterful artists and their works have inspired me forward on my journey of self-mastery.



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