Do you dream? Do you remember your dreams?

A few nights ago I had a vivid dream….. I was having a discussion with a “dream-friend” about Vincent Van Gogh. There was an intensity and focus to the interaction – as if we were immersed in the same creative flow that drove Vincent to the limits of creativity – sometimes bordering madness.

In the dream, I remember holding back tears and saying to my friend that Vincent had worked with an incredible focus. In the days he would paint for hours in the fields, carting paints and canvasses long distances sometimes. He created an incredible body of work in just a few short active painting years.

At night he wrote numerous letters to his brother Theo and to other artists. In nearly all cases the focus was art and his desire to go even more deeply into his understanding and expression of life as expressed on canvas.

Vincent means a lot to me – It was one of his self-portraits in the Musee d’Orsay that awakened me to art. His appearance in a dream was a powerful symbol to me – a reminder that the value of singular focus and excellence is just as important today as ever.

So, for what it is worth I pass this on to you – the artist – with a reminder that in today’s vastly over-communicated world you remember to honor the spirit of the true artist with a singular focus on your work. That means that when you do paint, sculpt, or whatever you do – work for at least 2 hours uninterrupted. It also means no cell phones, blackberries, or iPhones – and definitely no computers!

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