How do you become unstoppable and successful in your personal life, your work—all around you? How do we individually rise to be all that we can be? Or fulfill personal callings? Or accomplish great work in the world?
Peter Marshall said: The stone was rolled away from the door, not to permit Christ to come out, but to enable the disciples to go in. Every stone that stops you has been rolled away. You are free to touch the truth that Christ is alive, with all Power.
I have a print of a Harlem Renaissance scene painted by Jacob Lawrence, one of the first African American artists to become popular with audiences worldwide.
His art recorded the struggles of the black migration as hundreds of thousands of African Americans moved North from the rural South to find work after World War I. Born in 1917 in Atlantic City, Jacob Lawrence’s father was a cook who worked on the railroad. His mother, like many African American women at that time, cleaned other people’s homes for a living.
His father left the family when Jacob was only seven years old; then the real hard times began. Momma Rosa Lee, often didn’t have money to support the family. Occasionally, her children were placed in temporary foster care.
At 13, he was reunited with his mother in Harlem. Jacob spent his life growing up in Harlem at it’s best—a lively, colorful place. He created paintings of life in that vibrant community, full of bright colors and movement. Harlem in the 1920’s was an explosion of blues, jazz, entertainment, and art. Although times were financially difficult, Jacob’s work flowed from the center of that exciting life.
The music and art of the Harlem Renaissance set a tone for what was happening in America. Jacob Lawrence captured that exuberance and those outbursts of creativity; his paintings flourished with energy and vitality.
African Americans brought to Harlem—not just hopes and dreams—but also creativity and the richness of our culture. Jacob’s paintings celebrate the struggle of all people to survive and flourish. `Today, the pulsating works of Jacob Lawrence are still recognized by artists and art lovers alike.
When you’re as creative and visionary as Jacob Lawrence, it isn’t because someone teaches you greatness. It comes naturally when you open yourself to allowing your talent to come alive, to be unstoppable, and to share your unique greatness with the world around you.
So today, spread your wings. Ignite your own spark of innovation.
Send comments to regina@reginaprude.com
