GREETINGS,
SELF EXPRESSION IS ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE PROCESSES I KNOW. BEYOND THE MOST VITAL MEDICAL PROCEDURE, ABOVE THE SCIENCE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MORE THAN THE BIRTH OF LIFE ITSELF, ARTISTIC CREATION CAN OFTEN BE MORE COMPELLING.THIS WAY OF THINKING, FEELING AND LIVING CAN LITERALLY BRING THE LOWEST SOUL RAISING HIM UP TO HIGH SPIRITS. BORN WITH A PHYSICAL AFFLICTION, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY HOPELESS MOMENTS FOR ME. FROM MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS FEELING TRAPPED IN A DISABLED BODY I LOATHED, COUNTLESS PAINFUL AND CHAOTIC PHYSICAL DILEMMAS WITH NO RESOLUTION IN SIGHT, TO SIMPLY FEELING INFERIOR AND LOST IN A CROWD OF ALIENS. AS I SUFFERED, WEAKENED AND WAS NEARLY DEFEATED, I WOKE UP TO A DREAM. IN THIS FANTASY, I RULED THE LAND WITH A SIMPLE PEN AND PAD. BEGINNING WITH AN AIMLESS SKETCH WAITING TO RECOVER FROM SURGERY, I DEVELOPED INTO THE SUPERHERO THAT MY CONFIDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM CLAIMS TO BE TODAY. WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PRAYER AND LOTS OF PRACTICE, I TURNED MY BACK TO THE WORLD AND DESIGNED MY OWN. SINCE THEN, I'VE NEVER LOOKED BACK. GAINING A BIT OF WISDOM ALONG, THESE ARE MY RULES AND THIS IS MY STORY. TO BE CREATIVE, ONE MUST PUT ANY EGO ASIDE. REALIZE THAT YOU WILL NEVER REACH PERFECTION. ART IN ALL FORMS IS A LEARNING, CHANGING AND GROWING EXPERIENCE. A GREAT SENSE OF AWARENESS IS KEY. IN FACT, TALENT OR SKILL COMES SECONDARY TO AN OPEN MIND. FURTHERMORE, AS INVENTORS IN OUR OWN CRAFT, WE HOLD THE POWER TO CHANGE. HOWEVER, WITH AUTHORITY COMES RESPONSIBILITY. THIS TRANSLATES TO A COMMITTED FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH AN IMAGINATION INSIDE OUR SYNTHETIC WORLD. CONSEQUENTLY, OUR FEARS, SADNESS, HOPES AND DREAMS SHOULD BE A PRIORITY. BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER EVERYTHING ELSE, SELF EXPRESSION IS OUR SOURCE OF LIFE. FINALLY, A TRUE ARTIST ONLY WORKS OUT OF NECESSITY, NOT DESIRE. ONCE A SONG, PAINTING OR PERFORMANCE BECOMES AN OBLIGATION, THE HONESTY, AUTHENTICITY AND QUALITY OF OUR WORK WILL SUFFER. THERE MUST BE A DISAGREEMENT OF THE MIND AND HEART FOR ARTISTIC CONVERSATION TO TAKE PLACE ON A MEDIUM. WITHOUT THE PRESSURES OF PAIN, SUFFERING AND LOSS, OUR CREATIONS WOULD BE LIFELESS WITHOUT CHARACTER. IRONICALLY, IT IS THE NEAR DEATH OF THE SOUL THAT CAN BRING LIFE TO OUR WORK. IN THE END, THE ESSENCE OF SELF EXPRESSION, CONTRADICTING, CONFLICTING AND IRONIC FROM A REALITY WE CHOOSE NOT TO ACCEPT.
GOD BLESS,
JEF
