“By logic and reason we die hourly, by imagination we live.”  -W.B. Yeats

As I approach a new painting, I find I need to unplug from my efficient, productive world. Our work, whether it be in the arts, the factory, or the corporate building, requires our imagination, and efficiency and productivity are not always servants of beauty. We ask, “How can I make 'this' better?” So in the world of visual art, you explore. For example, I will attempt to draw a simple TEN LINES ONLY image of what I want to paint. I might use a black marker and shade in every shape in a prospective painting, so I can see the separation of light and dark. Or maybe I will consider all the possible color combinations that are not present in the original work. Each step sparks a new idea and eliminates another. Our lives are like a painting; we search for new combinations of experience, talents, and communities to enlarge our world. Each little step is like an act of listening, which is far more experimental than hearing.  I think the poet Yetes could have added to the beginning quote by saying… “Become a listener and art maker by exploring “what Could Be?” 

Gary Bradley

January 16th, 2026 

From Cary, NC