Words of Wisdom

"Life's not about getting free of pain, but rather finding happiness through service to some process with links to a higher ideal." -- Robert Genn, The Painter's Keys

When I read these words, I was struck by the simplicity of the message and it's profound wisdom. The late Mr. Genn, a Canadian painter, was a remarkably prolific writer as well as a wonderfully talented artist. He always seemed to hit the nail on the head in his writings, whether he was describing the challenges of turning out paintings under duress, or describing some obscure jewel of nature he had discovered on a hike. His creativity seemed boundless, and he often brought a smile to my face or a tear to my eye by sharing his thoughts on the creative life with his readers. The above quote beautifully sums up his life philosophy. It's just one of his many observations that has touched or moved me. If you need a bit of inspiration, or something to lift your spirits, or just want to look at the world through Robert Genn's eyes, visit painterskeys.com, which is now managed by his daughter, also an artist. You won't be disappointed.

A Thought for Sunday, June 15, 2014

"A doctor can have four appendices out before breakfast. That's professionalism. If you or I had to take out an appendix, we would go by the book, take until noon, probably lift the wrong organ, and the patient would likely not make it to the recovery room. That's amateurism."  -- Robert Genn, The Painter's Keys