Life and How to Live It

Painting No. 119|6″ x 8″|Oil on Canvas Panel

Here’s a little painting of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I think I was about 16 years old, sitting in a literature class, bored out of my mind when we were told to read Self Reliance. I got about a paragraph into it before it started to sink in and the entire world seemed to disappear.

Now, telling a 16 year old to embrace their genius and trust themselves is a little like throwing a bale of catnip to a kitten. They eat it up. But, something clicked that day. My eyes were opened and I could see the world clearly for the first time.

I owe a lot to Ralph. He coaxed what is inside of me out. He let me know it was alright not to be on the basketball team, to be an artist, to sit down when everyone else was standing up. Alright to be who I am.

2 Comments
  • Umm, I love this and need this!!! Yeah, I’m gonna need a copy of this, hehe. Awesome work!! 🙂

  • Rhonda says:

    WEll, you may have gotten that from Waldo, but I had been telling you that all along!! It is more than fine to be an artist because that is who God made you to be. Besides, where are all the jocks now–I’m just sayin’.

Leave a Comment:




Your Comment:

About Adam Houston

Adam Houston is an American impressionist oil painter. He lives outside of Athens, GA and paints the landscape of the surrounding country. In 2010 he began the blog 100 Paintings by Adam where he documented his progress as an artist.  

Subscribe to My Newsletter

©2020 Adam Houston Art, All Rights Reserved