I’m envious of my mom this week: she’s in New York and I know her plans include the Met, the MOMA and the Guggenheim. Art galleries both calm and inspire me. The wall to wall Monet’s that take my breath away… the texture and vibrancy of the Van Gogh’s… the incredible detail of Bouguereau… the whimsey of Matisse.
Envision a piece of artwork to represent your life. Is it an abstract, a portrait, a landscape, a photograph? What colours, shapes and lines are prominent? What is the overall mood created by this piece of art? Is there an inherent sense of balance?
I venture to guess that Van Gogh was deliberate in his colour choice, the direction of the brush stroke, the placement on the canvas and ultimately how each of these would contribute to the finished piece. In Stephen Covey’s words, “Begin with the end in mind.” This proves to be true in artwork and in life.
When we interact with our family, our coworkers and our students are we proud of the exchanges? Do they contribute positively to our life masterpiece? When we make decisions about what needs to be done, do those decisions lead us closer to the end result? Do our choices lead to a balanced picture, honouring both family and work?
This week, I will simply have to imagine rounding the corner at the Museum of Modern Art, my eyes drawn immediately to Starry Night… the swirl of the sky above the steeple… the glow of the moon… the brilliance of the stars…
You read my mind 🙂
Have a great week!