Listen

Listen. Shh…No, really listen.

What do you hear? When you look at art, do you hear anything?

Often, when I look at previous paintings, I can hear—or at least remember—what music I listened to while creating the piece of art. I always listened to music as I painted. Music was as important as the painting. It was the primer for the paint; the pump to get going. Lately, I often paint in silence.

This painting was originally to be titled Connect the Dots, but as it progressed, that changed for me. Another painting emerged as a real contender and crossed the finish line first. It was awarded the prized title of Connect the Dots.

The concept behind connecting the dots was always about listening: the voices are the dots. Sometimes we need to listen to one voice long enough to discern the truth, strength, and direction it provides. Other times we need to run from certain voices because following their words will lead to our destruction.

Listening is an art in and of itself. It takes practice and a discipline to stop the chaos and settle into the quiet, inner state of silence. I like silence, because it is only in that silence I can truly hear.