The main purpose of this project is for me to share my gratitude with others,

and to share some thoughts and introspections about creativity,

I wrote a letter to Jerry,

I mailed the letter to you--

to share with you...how grateful I am for his presence in my life.

I never would have met you...

My first formal analysis of an artwork was one of your paintings.

Jerry brought it to class...

I loved the vibrant color, painterly mark making, and abstraction of the landscape.

Two years later, there I was.

you were almost mythological to me!

...calm, relaxed, easygoing, but so enthusiastic...

...you consistently visited all the classes.

It makes a significant impact for the students and professors...

to know that their leader is genuinely interested and invested in them.

The unity and camaraderie you established at Cameron was unique,

I don't know how it was behind the scenes,

but for us you were all untied and consistent

in your genuine concern for our education

and your standards of performance.

...you were a good leader who left quite a legacy.

I've been struggling with...defining success.

I believe it's relative to each individual artist...

I still can't define it for myself.

...the drive and joy in the act of creating the work.

The process is always more profound and fulfilling to me.

Everything makes sense in those moments,

and the world falls away.

#52Letters