Artists of our generations

I think every generation has a handful of artists they are lucky to have.

These are people who are writers, poets, musicians, painters, photographers – often they do more than one of these things, and well. Sometimes they are people we don’t even know live next door to us, other times they are among the most vocal of their generation.

Federico Garcia Lorca was one of them. So was Kurt Vonnegut. I think Ralph Steadman qualifies as well. So does Salvador Dali.

I’ve been lucky to have known or known of James O’Brien for seven years now. His was the first art that made sense to me after September 11, 2001, and now when I need my head cleared, it’s his art I tend to use as a helping hand.

I think time will show that he is one of the great artists of our generation, though he may be one of those people who doesn’t get famous, in a sense, perhaps for another long time.

The world lost Garcia Lorca too soon; he was an unfortunate victim of his art and personality, in a place that wasn’t ready for him. But those who paid attention got to be young and grow old with Vonnegut and Dali, and they’re doing the same for Steadman. I believe we’re going to get to do that with O’Brien.

He’s blogging now, I’m happy to say.

Let him change your life a little.