How long can one journey if there is no final destination

An odd question? Perhaps. There aren't many ways to describe the life of an artist other than a "journey".  Famous or relatively unknown, the moniker fits them all. I wear it as well. My life has been an artistic journey. And to be quite honest, I have never set a final destination.

Art is about the journey. It is how we express what we see and what we experience as we travel through this world. I have never met an artist that was money motivated, although I have no doubt there have been a few. I have had more jobs than most folks. A job was merely the means to an end. I had to have shelter, food and provide for a family. I just could never focus on the intricate workings of maintaining a 9-5. Sure, I have been quite successful and I have always vanished when pigment called.

I have lived in over 50 addresses. They have ranged from my parents home to cars and apartments and rentals and garages. Every one was chosen using the "how cheap can I live" motivation. Homes have been stopping points in my journey. It is only in the last ten years that I can actually say, I am home.

The only item that has been with me for the last 60 odd years is a wooden box. It is a pochade that Kirk Douglas gave me at the opening of "Lust for Life". My father, the drama editor, took me. That little box has traveled all over the United States. It has carried paint tubes for me when I lived in the French Quarter. It has seen the New York skyline, the Baltimore skyline and inner harbor, the camp grounds at Assateague Island and the streets of cities in France and Italy. It now rests on shelf in my studio.

My journey began with Orange paint. It moved on to berries and mud and coffee. Then real paint was added to my repertoire. Today, I have the use of the finest oil, the most translucent water colors, the brightest pastel sticks and modern acrylics. I have developed a skill set for sketching and doing quick studies. I enjoy painting plein aire. Life is good.

I don't have an answer. My journey continues. Final destination? Don't know. The journey remains my goal.