MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHY AND PHILOSOPHICAL MUSINGS
PROLOGUE
For years I've sensed that there are hidden parallels between creativity and the spiritual life. And by "the spiritual life" I mean the essence of what it is to be human.
Bernard Iddings Bell, the former President of Bard College in New York, suggested that "to be artist and lover, that is the true goal, the only adequate objective, the divinely-destined end of man." Since taking that as my summum bonum, I awake each morning hoping to experience something or create something of consequence, and in so doing love my Maker, my wife, my friends, and the world.
"TO BE ARTIST AND LOVER,
THAT IS THE TRUE GOAL,
THE ONLY ADEQUATE OBJECTIVE,
THE DIVINELY-DESTINED END OF MAN."
Companions along the way have included many of you, as well as a coterie of artists, writers, philosophers and musicians including the triumvirate of contemporary music—the Beatles, the Stones and Dylan; the French intellectual, activist and trouble-maker, Simone Weil; the Russian philosopher and theologian, Nicolas Berdyaev; that most profane of secular saints, Henry Miller; and of course my boon companion, Vincent van Gogh, who as suggested elsewhere in this site wrote as well as he painted.
As an aid to further cogitation, if not down-right meditation, I offer INTO THE MYSTIC, which pairs classic photographs of Rock, Americana, Blues and Jazz musicians with some of the more sententious sayings about the conjoining of creativity and spirituality that I’ve come across in my wanderings.
Tom Willett
ABOUT THIS SITE
Although I have collected, paired and marinated in these quotes and images over the last 30 years with the utmost sincerity, I now find myself at the potentially-hazardous intersection of art and commerce. With a projected 300 panels in the works, I have designs on publishing INTO THE MYSTIC as a large format coffee-table book, as well as the usual calendar, greeting card, notepad, mug, soft goods and table-top clap-trap known in the licensing hustle as "line extensions." To that end, I'm in search of an agent or manager, publisher or distributor, lawyer or shaman who smells money and would like to aid in the introduction of reasonably redemptive and remunerative artifacts into the culture.
If you know of someone, please pass this site along to her or him.
Otherwise, enjoy via Blog, Videos, Digital Flipbook or Social Media sites.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The majority of the photos used herein can be found on the Morrison Hotel Gallery website. Out of the utmost respect for the photographers, artists and editors who are the exclusive rights-holders of these images, they are not presented here for any financial gain, but in order to share the work for its own excellence. The philosophical quotes associated with the images do not imply an endorsement by the creators, but suggest that the works uniquely embody some of the most potent insights into the creative process that I have come across in my reading. While we investigate the possibility of licensing these images for commercial use in the publication of books and ancillary products, we encourage you to visit their galleries in New York, Maui or Los Angeles and online at https://www.morrisonhotelgallery.com where you can purchase beautiful, signed fine art prints.