The answer is simply, YES!
Each and every one of us has a unique talent, heart, mind, and open vessels that allow our creative spirit to flow through and make an offering to the world. This is our life, this is our calling, this is our purpose.
Inspiration is everywhere and comes to us when we least expect it. When it does, we must not resist or question the actions that are needed and taken, for this is the free flow path that leads us to our un-lived life that we want and are meant to live.
When I feel stuck I search for inspiration. I stay present, curious, and open to receive everyone and everything that is put in front of me, this is when the magic and synchronicity of life happens. Recently I attended a Fine Art Festival at Heavenly Village in Lake Tahoe with the intention of being inspired. Nature, music, and art has a special way of getting me un-stuck and flowing again. This day was no exception, except I was so moved by an artist and his work that I feel the need to share. I had just arrived at the Art Show and was drawn to a one-of-a kind original 3-D contemporary free-flowing hardwood heart sculpture. I picked up the artist's info card and read: Art is more than just a career for wood sculptor, Charles Taube, in his case, a lifesaver. WOW! What a hook....I bit. I needed and wanted to know more.
Charles and I chatted in between other art lovers stopping by to admire his work. I learned that he was a professional carpenter and Street Rod builder by trade and began his artistic exploration of wood movement when he was trying to design a wooden sculpture to honor the winner of Southwest Woodies Annual Desert Gatherings Woodie Car Show. Nine months after the car show, in 1997, Charles was critically injured in an accident that almost completely severed his left hand and was left with the prospect of unemployment and a lifetime of pain and disability. This threw him into a life threatening depression yet the creative spark that was ignited at the car show remained. For seven years after the accident Charles forced himself to create more sculptures for the car show and with each sculpture he created, he slowly gained more use and dexterity of his hand. He found a new creative way of life. However, it had been calling him since he was a little boy. He shared with me that he loved playing for hours with wooden tinker toys and threw out the instructions to create his own masterpieces. It took this painful circumstance to get him back on the right path.
In 2008, he was one of twelve hand selected artists from across the United States chosen by the NFL to participate in the 1st Annual 2008 SuperBowl VIP Tailgate Party Art Show. He had the opportunity to participate in another popular art show in New York during that same time, but chose the NFL SuperBowl show in Arizona. As he began packing up after the SuperBowl, feeling discouraged of not selling one sculpture and questioning why he didn't choose to go to the New York show, he was approached by John Travolta and Willie Nelson. They both loved his art and purchased a few of his free-flowing hardwood sculptures. This made his day and encouraged him to never doubt his choices, because like his work, they flow the way they are supposed to. Charles has been on a creative journey that has become a way of life for him, and though he endured a devastating experience, he found his purpose and calling in life. It is his lifesaver and his joy.
On this day my intention was to find inspiration, and I found it in a magical way. It was a clear signpost that reminded me that, YES, I am on the right path of inspiring others through creativity, encouragement, story, being curious, present, and sharing the beauty of living with brilliance, passion and on purpose. There was synchronicity between Charles and I. We both had met and interacted with John Tavolta, mine was when John came into a clothing shop I worked at in Santa Barbara, and he made my day as well! We also both got our business start in Santa Barbara and is where Charles had his first customer and gallery showing. He sculpts free-flowing hearts and musical notes, both of which I use in my own creative expression.
I sought inspiration the first day of Summer in Lake Tahoe and not only did I get it, I made a new friend and met a talented free-flowing artist as well.