When I was in high school, I had an amazing teacher who organized special lectures to teach us about art history.
He would come dressed up as painters and photographers such as Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh and Ansel Adams.
He would tell the story of the artist as if he was the artist.
He brought their stories to life.
I’ve always been good at picking up patterns.
And what struck me was a common thread in all of their stories.
They all began by learning from a teacher, mentor or master.
They first learned the basics and fundamentals of their craft.
They learned how to mix colors, add light and shadow, and create perspective.
And once they mastered the basics, they developed their own style.
They came into their own sense of artistry.
I was reminded of this recently on a trip to see an exhibit of Grand Bazaar jewelry masters at the Rezan Has Museum.
And again at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Every great artist – every master of his/her craft – has learned the basics from a mentor, developed their own mastery, and then passed on their gift.
They are lifted up by those who go before them, and then they lift up the next generation of artists and craftspeople.
And if you look, you can see traces of their mentor in their work.
You can see how they were influenced, and the mark of their master, and then how they turned
it into their own signature style.
It is what has happened to me by working with my mentors, and in them, I can see the signatures of the people they have worked with.
In this manner, we all have the privilege of being touched by the greats.
And I am so honored to pass along what I’ve learned from my mentors to my own clients.
We are all, generation after generation, lifting each other up to heights of greater and greater mastery.
Who would like to be lifted up next?
How can I support you in reaching your own mastery?
How can I pass along to you the things I’ve learned from my amazing coaches, mentors and teachers using my signature style?
What do you wish to learn?
