Passion Play
Fred knew that I really wanted to write fiction for a living, but he also knew—much better than I did—that writing professionally is a tough gig and that many writers have some kind of day job to keep them solvent.
Fred’s encouragement helped me get through some tough employment times, which thank God, have gotten markedly better in recent years. And I thought of him this weekend when I went to the Edward Hopper exhibit at the Whitney Museum.
Born in 1882, Edward Hopper was an American realist painter and printmaker who had an incredible gift from finding drama in the commonplace subjects.
He’s perhaps best known for his 1942 painting Nighthawks, which portrays four people in a downtown diner later at night, as seen from a distance through the diner’s window.
These people seem so lonely and isolated, but Hopper himself said that he didn’t see Nighthawks as particularly lonely. However, he acknowledged that unconsciously, probably, “I was painting the loneliness of a large city."
Be advised Nighthawks is not part of this latest exhibition, but there are plenty of other impressive works that demonstrate Hopper’s simple but powerful style.
Hopper liked to travel around New York to get ideas, often riding on the elevated subway lines, where he could get a quick, but vivid view of people’s apartments. Many of these sightings provided the raw material for his paintings.
Economic Necessity
The exhibit also includes several magazine covers that Hopper painted for various trade journals and in-house publications.
I was a little surprised to learn that such a renowned artist had worked at such pedestrian material, but, of course, he had to struggle before becoming the man we know today.
Being a freelancer, Hopper was forced to solicit for projects, and had to knock on the doors of magazine and agency offices to find business.
In other words, he needed this kind of work to fund his passion.
And he got something from the experience besides a paycheck. The exhibit describes how his work with the trade publications allowed him “to experiment with vibrant color pairings and bold typography.”
I keep an eye out for sign and messages that can point me in the right direction.
While visiting Swarthmore, Pa. last week for a workplace reunion, I noticed a sign in a local crafts store that said “we cannot become what we want by remaining where we are.”
Indeed. I look around at my own life and often wonder why things haven’t changed as much as I would’ve liked. But I know the answer can be found in the mirror.
And coming home I saw a massive message hanging from the ceiling of Philadelphia’s 30th Street train station.
It was an ad for West Chester University and obviously directed at young people, but I found it encouraging, nonetheless.
“Pursue Your Passion,” the sign said.
Yes. I may not be as fast as I used to be, but I haven’t given up the chase.
Comments
Like countless others, I have always liked the diner painting and guiltily confess I suspected it to be a sad grouping, but was happy to learn the artist's intent.
And, like yourself, I too am not giving up the chase anytime soon.
Hey, Dorothy!
The exhibit was fabulous and I find Edward Hopper to be such an intriguing artist.
The window peering is so fascinating because I ride the elevated subway lines as well and you can see a lot depending upon the timing.
I don't think you should feel guilty about your interpretation of Nighthawks. Hopper himself said he may have been subconsciously painting the city's loneliness.
Pursue your passion!
@Bijoux!
Yes, Hopper's work is indeed iconic and "Nighthawks" has been satirized many times, including versions that feature characters from The Simpsons and Looney Tunes.
The mystery writer Elmore Leonard worked away at advertising jobs for decades before hitting it big. He said that he knew a lot of guys who wanted to be writers, but he's the only one who stuck with it.
Thanks so much for kind thoughts and support!