. . . there cannot be growth without sacrifice and there is no guarantee that what will come tomorrow will be half as precious as what was ours just yesterday.
— Jim Metcalf
We encounter many things as we make our way through life that help steer us along our path, or perhaps set us upon another path entirely. There are people who influence our thoughts and beliefs. There are events that remain with us always. But we also encounter little things that can impact our lives – sometimes without realizing it at the time.
Often times we may hear a song that will take us back to another place in time. I remember my first true awareness of music when I listened to Chet Atkins’ album “Mister Guitar” in the early 1960’s. The album turned me onto music and would lead to my own guitar lessons and a love of music that today includes many varied styles. My every day is filled with music, but when I pull out “Mister Guitar,” I am transported back to where it all began.
During my school years, literature was not to my liking. It did not matter what form or style of literature – if it had words, it was disliked. Everything changed in the mid 1970’s when I picked up Jim Metcalf’s small book of poetry “In Some Quiet Place.” That one book created a love for words that literature classes could not. Although today I read many different forms of writing, I still occasionally pull out one of Jim Metcalf’s books and discover again that first thrill of the printed word.
I have long had a passion for visual art. I owe most of my knowledge and appreciation of art to my uncle, but a turning point came when I purchased the book, “The Art of Andrew Wyeth.” Wyeth’s work fascinated me. His art was realistic in that the scenes and subjects were immediately recognizable, yet they also told a deeper story and created a mood that drew you in and captured you. A high point came in 1980 when I visited a museum show of Andrew Wyeth art. My love of art today embraces many different styles that include the world of craft. But for me the soft tones and quiet melancholy of Andrew Wyeth’s world will forever remain a fascination.
So, excuse me while I get a cup of tea, put on Chet Atkins’ “Mister Guitar,” grab my tattered copy of Jim Metcalf’s “In Some Quiet Place” and “The Art of Andrew Wyeth.” I need to revisit some old friends, drift back to where things began, and dip once again in water from another time.
— Jim Metcalf
We encounter many things as we make our way through life that help steer us along our path, or perhaps set us upon another path entirely. There are people who influence our thoughts and beliefs. There are events that remain with us always. But we also encounter little things that can impact our lives – sometimes without realizing it at the time.
Often times we may hear a song that will take us back to another place in time. I remember my first true awareness of music when I listened to Chet Atkins’ album “Mister Guitar” in the early 1960’s. The album turned me onto music and would lead to my own guitar lessons and a love of music that today includes many varied styles. My every day is filled with music, but when I pull out “Mister Guitar,” I am transported back to where it all began.
During my school years, literature was not to my liking. It did not matter what form or style of literature – if it had words, it was disliked. Everything changed in the mid 1970’s when I picked up Jim Metcalf’s small book of poetry “In Some Quiet Place.” That one book created a love for words that literature classes could not. Although today I read many different forms of writing, I still occasionally pull out one of Jim Metcalf’s books and discover again that first thrill of the printed word.
I have long had a passion for visual art. I owe most of my knowledge and appreciation of art to my uncle, but a turning point came when I purchased the book, “The Art of Andrew Wyeth.” Wyeth’s work fascinated me. His art was realistic in that the scenes and subjects were immediately recognizable, yet they also told a deeper story and created a mood that drew you in and captured you. A high point came in 1980 when I visited a museum show of Andrew Wyeth art. My love of art today embraces many different styles that include the world of craft. But for me the soft tones and quiet melancholy of Andrew Wyeth’s world will forever remain a fascination.
So, excuse me while I get a cup of tea, put on Chet Atkins’ “Mister Guitar,” grab my tattered copy of Jim Metcalf’s “In Some Quiet Place” and “The Art of Andrew Wyeth.” I need to revisit some old friends, drift back to where things began, and dip once again in water from another time.
