Phoenix: Day 3

I am amazed that themes in my life have a way of repeating.  This evening I had the opportunity to listen to Anne Geddes speak for an hour-and-a-half about her life and career.  I wasn't really excited, but I knew this was a rare chance to listen to someone very successful, tell her story.  Needless to say, it was quite pleasurable and informative.  She told about the night she decided she wanted to be the most famous children's photographer in the world...and told her friends and family!  She told how she was turned down by large publishing companies.  She told how she printed her first calendar on her own and has gone on to sell millions around the world.  

I was very impressed and completely surprised.

I had a very similar experience when I visited the Salvador Dali Museum.  All I knew of his work was melting clocks.  The docent explained Dali's influences.  She explained the world going on around Dali.  She explained how his contemporaries were reacting to their surroundings.  

I had a new found appreciation for his work.

I find that the WHY is as important as the WHAT.  I need to understand why an artist used a color.  I need to understand why they chose a particular media.  I need to understand why they chose the imagery they used.

Sometimes a melting clock is just a melting clock...some times it is a commentary on war.