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“Everybody wants to get on the Van Gogh boat. There's no trip so horrible that someone won't take it. The idea of the unrecognized genius slaving away in a garret is a deliciously foolish one.”
- René Ricard, Basquiat (1996), written and directed by Julian Schnabel
- René Ricard, Basquiat (1996), written and directed by Julian Schnabel
The point of being an artist is to make such mind-bendingly unique work that you'd etch your name in the history books forever. Right? This was the initial assumption of 16 year old Mike Coughlin.
I then gradually realized that people make art for many other reasons- and fortunately, so have I.
Having not considered my original goal of fame in almost 30 years, I was purely satisfied with the love of art, even resigning myself to the idea that people might only see this body of work after I am dead.
Frankly, every artist creates work that will resonate with at least someone. But I have been interested in tapping into something that resonates with many. What is it about the heavy hitters, the Van Gough's that send shockwaves through the world? This is my pursuit.
As it turns out, I was so obsessed with creating and perfecting the work that I've neglected to push for notoriety. But the time has come to test my theories. Have I discovered the formula for uplifting the vibrations of my fellow humans through art?
More importantly then how other's perceive my art objects, what I have come to understand is this: "the horrible trip" that Julian Schnabel was referring to, is actually the pursuit of validation. Because the pure creation of art is LIFE GIVING, not horrible.
If my work resonates with you, please consider joining the journey via social media, or by supporting through a purchase.
I then gradually realized that people make art for many other reasons- and fortunately, so have I.
Having not considered my original goal of fame in almost 30 years, I was purely satisfied with the love of art, even resigning myself to the idea that people might only see this body of work after I am dead.
Frankly, every artist creates work that will resonate with at least someone. But I have been interested in tapping into something that resonates with many. What is it about the heavy hitters, the Van Gough's that send shockwaves through the world? This is my pursuit.
As it turns out, I was so obsessed with creating and perfecting the work that I've neglected to push for notoriety. But the time has come to test my theories. Have I discovered the formula for uplifting the vibrations of my fellow humans through art?
More importantly then how other's perceive my art objects, what I have come to understand is this: "the horrible trip" that Julian Schnabel was referring to, is actually the pursuit of validation. Because the pure creation of art is LIFE GIVING, not horrible.
If my work resonates with you, please consider joining the journey via social media, or by supporting through a purchase.
We are too unique to follow one “ism”!
Yet we are too connected to not have one shared spiritual Source.
The Urantia Book teaches the concept of “unity without uniformity”-a powerful idea offering a clear path to both personal transformation and global peace. I strongly recommend this revelatory book to everyone. If you read it, you’ll see why I’ve spent years sitting quietly and creating art in service of its message.
My artwork is about uniting all of us without erasing your individual personality. This is represented by my harmony of universal imagery with subjective abstraction.
Yes, my work reflects that classic journey of a struggling artist who found himself on a spiritual path, but it also points to a never realized, bigger story-people awakening and living together in peace.
Let my art be a bridge into this story, and my word a promise that The Urantia Book will illuminate your path.
Yet we are too connected to not have one shared spiritual Source.
The Urantia Book teaches the concept of “unity without uniformity”-a powerful idea offering a clear path to both personal transformation and global peace. I strongly recommend this revelatory book to everyone. If you read it, you’ll see why I’ve spent years sitting quietly and creating art in service of its message.
My artwork is about uniting all of us without erasing your individual personality. This is represented by my harmony of universal imagery with subjective abstraction.
Yes, my work reflects that classic journey of a struggling artist who found himself on a spiritual path, but it also points to a never realized, bigger story-people awakening and living together in peace.
Let my art be a bridge into this story, and my word a promise that The Urantia Book will illuminate your path.