Cultivating Wisdom Through Openness
Pen and ink contemporary fine art by Doug Ashby.
The land stretches upward and outward as the distant horizon feels eternally out of reach. Dawn slowly emerges, time suspended between the boundaries of night and day. They stand quietly, listening intently yet dreamily, as the soft breeze whispers through the tall grass. Deep down, there is a hunger to capture that fleeting moment of stillness that lies within us all.
Wisdom comes from stillness. It does not live in answers but in openness, in the pause before response and reaction, in the deepening wrinkles of our skin that reveal the endurance of a long-lived life. Wisdom never arrives all at once; it forms slowly over time and evolves with us on the journey of becoming.
In the artwork above, we see the eye of the elephant within that moment of quiet awareness, carefully and respectfully observing. It builds patterns of memory that become the framework for our inner maps, guiding us through time, forward and backward, creating the wisdoms that define our truths, purpose, and values.
The elephant, a timeless figure of strength and endurance, embodies sagacity gained through quiet perseverance rather than singular triumph. It mirrors our own journeys toward what we are in this moment and what we are yet to become. Through our lived experiences of grief, love, curiosity, and listening, we discover the true builders of strength, wisdom, and resilience. Yet we can only find them if we are open and aware. While life can seem at times filled with harsh angles and rigid surfaces, it is, in essence, shaped by eternal forms.
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may have noticed that I often use the phrase “upward and outward.” It refers to many things, but especially our engagement with the dynamic, physical world we inhabit. Still, I often wonder whether this phrase aligns with the notion of deep listening. I believe it does.
I am far from perfect when it comes to listening, and it is a moment of real self-awareness when I recognize that a gift is being offered to me. I have had many mentors in my life and have been fortunate to mentor others. The best mentors are like the elder elephants of a herd, known as a parade or, more rarely, a memory. They guide the young not with command but with presence and patience. The term memory is fitting, reflecting the deep social bonds within a herd and the reverence given to their elders. In many ways, this parallels my own journey as a young artist.
There stands a figure in that journey, one among a few, who looms larger than others: a teacher, a mentor, and a friend. What mattered most was not what they taught me directly as a student, but how they lived as an artist. Their life was entirely dedicated to creation. Watching them, I learned the value and beauty of such devotion. It ignited a deep hunger within me, one that at the time was not yet fully formed. I saw that art is born through engagement, through placing that first mark, finding rhythm in movement, and surrendering to the act of creation. I remain forever grateful for this wisdom so gracefully and willingly passed along. I would not be who I am today without it.
And so, how does wisdom inform a life dedicated to art? The geometric shapes and lines within this piece offer one possible answer. At first glance, they might appear simply as design elements, a play between the solid and the delicate, the organic and the linear. Yet I believe they hold deeper meaning.
The bisected circles are markers of grace within imperfection. They remind us that true wisdom holds both the known and the unknown, side by side. The half circles suggest waves radiating outward through time and space, echoes of our ongoing conversation between intention and surrender.
The life of an artist is a balance between both. We surrender to the passion that cannot be denied, yet move forward with purpose and intention. Our creations mature alongside us. The messages embedded in our work, whether visual or written, carry the hope that they may one day bring clarity and meaning to someone else.
With every ending comes an opening. The more we come to understand, the more questions we invite into our lives. Over time, this uncertainty becomes a familiar companion rather than a haunting presence. Like the herd, we move toward the distant horizon, yet as we age, we realize there is no final destination. One never fully arrives. We move toward and through continual renewal, becoming what the journey itself reveals.
To be open is to live. To live is to learn. To learn is to become.
Deep within resonates a wisdom that connects all things—past, present, and yet to come—if we are fully open.
If this reflection speaks to you, I invite you to share your thoughts in the comments or start a conversation. I promise I will respond. This original artwork is available for purchase for $440 (8” x 10”, unframed). Please reach out through my contact page if you’re interested.
Warmly,
Doug
