Just around the time I was born in 1918 a great art teacher was inspiring
generations of artists in Philadelphia. His name was Robert Henri, and I was
to win the award of his classic book, THE ART SPIRIT, in my first year of
art school in Philadelphia, 18 years later. (The award was in Drawing)
Every now and then, I return to the philosophy hidden in this book of
his advice to young artists. Not so very ancient, I find:
“Art appears in many forms. To some degree every human being is
an artist, dependent on the quality of his growth. Art need not be
intended. It comes inevitably as the tree from the root, the branch
from the trunk, the blossom from the twig.
None of these forget the present in looking backward or forward.
they are occupied wholly with the fulfillment of their own existence.
The branch does not boast of the relation it bears to its great ancestor
the trunk, and does not claim attention to itself for this honor, nor does
it call your attention to the magnificent red apple it is about to bear.
Because it is fully engaged in the full play of its own existence,
because it is full in its own growth, its fruit is inevitable.”
………………….ROBERT HENRI, from his book, The Art Spirit.
I want to honor those of you who have children growing into adults,
and at the same time have parents who are moving out of the
so-called productive world, still needing to be of use and continuing
growth.
With all of your love and desire to assist both the next and previous
generations, there is room for you! You’re in the middle, certainly.
However, never lose sight of the time and space where you are
important and wonderful and fabulously interesting. Right now.
with love …
Mom/Mimi/Toni/Antoinette