When I was young, creating art and music was all consuming. I painted on my bedroom walls, ceiling and anything else that was handy. I played my second hand black Harmony 1950s model semi hollow body electric guitar every available moment. Music and art flowed from me like rain off the Appalachian Mountains!
As I got older the drive to draw and play diminished. I lost my “AllSpark” somewhere between working and living.
art, music, and words awaken the senses
composing reflections from life’s reasoned fences
encoded skill and mind is the foundry
beyond the grip of night’s emotional boundary
Below I explain my artist’s poem for the benefit of anyone who would like an explanation.
art, music, and words awaken the senses
(Art, music, and words can inspire us emotionally and can make us feel good or bad)
composing reflections from life’s reasoned fences
(Each of us has a unique life and emotional perspective so our reactions can be different to a given work of art, music, or words)
encoded skill and mind is the foundry
(Artists each have unique and special talents to share)
beyond the grip of night’s emotional boundary
(Some artists, maybe many, battle with the numbing effects of anxiety and depression)
I stopped playing and painting in my early thirties. I figured that I would start again when I retired.
“Keep moving forward.”
I started this website in September 2007 hoping for an audience. I thought that if I had an audience, it would inspire me to want to paint and play again!
Before retiring, I managed to acquire a surplus professional grade art table, “Walt” and my “Teen Dream” guitar rig.
(who names their art table?)
This Ed’s Art Net website only began to take coherent shape after I retired in early 2020. That’s when I found myself suspended in “Freedom’s Elation”.
After that, this website developed an “AllSpark” all its own. I found a familiar feeling in web publishing that I had felt in my youth with my bedroom ceiling and neighbor annoying Sears amp.
At retirement, when my website developed its “AllSpark”, it kindled hope that I would begin to paint and play productively again.
Helping Hands
Prayer is a great stabilizer. I’ve felt God’s spirit inside my head. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had!
God and I are working at the spiritual roots. The rest of us are working on the right combinations of food and medicine. The science of health and wellness… With an occasional indulgent pop tart thrown in… toasted then buttered!
Marshall Mallows
After pretty much a forty year hiatus, my fingertips felt like uncoordinated marshmallows with nerve endings. Especially on my old acoustic, Oblio!
“Old age ain’t no place for sissies!” Bette Davis
My first step was to enlist HELP for Oblio’s high string action on the fretboard.
I found a talented shop in Kennesaw, GA, Artisan Luthiers. Jim Hobson performed a superb setup adjustment by removing the spacers under the saddle and leveling the frets which lowered the action on the strings.
Playing is like butter for my marshmallows now.
Thanks Jim! You do excellent work! It was a pleasure meeting you and your son Blake. Y’all make a great family!
Ed Caldwell (Bear)
Casting Art to the Net
