Inspiration

There are many wonderful things about being married to an artist, like seeing first hand his creative mind at work. Or, watching him create something from nothing. Or, the pride I feel in him every time I look a one of his paintings. As his partner, I spend time promoting Michael's work, managing our website, doing paperwork, preparing shipping labels and dealing with a lot of emails. And although I take personal pride in my ability to be Automotive Arist Michael Irvine's supporting partner, I think my favorite part of being the wife of an artist is interacting with our clients. Whether in person or on the phone, it is dually humbling and exciting to talk one-on-one with people that have chosen to include Michael's automotive paintings in their collections.

Just this morning, I had a fun and interesting chat with Bill. He called to order "The Competition Has Arrived" — we talked for over half an hour! He gave me whole new spin on why he collects Michael's art : for inspiration and motivation. He doesn't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a motivational speaker, he said, when he needs a boost he turns to his art collection!

"The Competition Has Arrived" — Shelby GT350, GT40, Daytona Coupe,
Competition Cobras at Le Mans.

We spoke about how focusing on a goal can help make things happen. How both of us are familiar with the practice of writing down goals or ideas and visiting the writings daily to inspire and visualize. Bill has taken that one step further, starting with a Mustang hubcap mounted on the wall when he wanted to find the "right" car — and it worked! Having the car part motivated him to work towards his goal. I said that maybe "The Competition Has Arrived" would bring another Shelby or Cobra into his life. :)

Then the conversation turned to the power of thought, and Bill brought to my attention a famous proverb that has undergone several versions over the years, but the original goes something like this:

"Watch your thoughts. They become words.
 Watch your words. They become deeds.
 Watch your deeds. They become habits.
 Watch your habits. They become character.
 Character is everything."

Such a simple concept, and yet so true - thank you Bill for sharing that and your enthusiasm and experiences with me. It's like having coffee with a friend! I think it's pretty obvious why I enjoy 'meeting' our clients, whether on the phone or in person, so very much.

Here's to the power of positive thought : Please enjoy a safe and happy start to a long awaited (after that crazy winter) car show season. — Cheers, Linda