BANGIn our highly specialized culture, we often lock people into categories as defined by their work.  For instance, she’s a “doctor”, or he’s an “engineer”.  Then we marvel at some other aspect of their productive talent and call them “hobbies”.  Usually these fall into pursuits for which they are not compensated with a living wage.

The moniker, “artist”, is much broader, so we tend to define it by subspecies such as sculptor, painter, musician, writer, etc.  In Bernie Taupin’s case, I would simply call him a “creative” who has mastered the art of divergent thinking.  Known globally for his prolific and exhaustive catalogue of hits with the likes of  Elton John and Alice Cooper, (Crocodile Rock, Tiny Dancer, Goodbye Little Brick Road, Candle in the Wind. on and on and on…) Taupin has recently turned to painting as yet another expression of his boundless curiosity.

I’m quite taken with the concept of divergent thinking and hope you will watch the video attached below and learn more about it.  Psychologists have found that a high IQ alone does not guarantee creativity. Instead, personality traits that promote divergent thinking are more important. Divergent thinking is found among people with personality traits such as nonconformity, curiosity, willingness to take risks, and persistence.[2]

If you are curious and in Nashville this month, do yourself a favor and head downtown to the Rymer Gallery to see these fantastic paintings.  You are sure to be inspired and delighted.

Artist representation: Rymer Gallery


BAMBOO blood money Critical Lines Dragonwall Enamal Blues HighriseSkyline
Targets2 Targets#1 Parade-Day Los Desaparecidos Inconsistent Tides I shall not