An Artistic Life

Stay Classic

An Artistic Life

“We found a place you need to go!” Jessi said to me as she and her husband came into the warmth of our home as if there was no winter chill outside.  Her exuberance surprised me because she has a particularly focused artistic eye from her work in fashion and entertainment, exercised for many years as a professional makeup artist in New York City.

I was almost speechless as she spoke.  I hadn’t seen her that excited for a long time!  Then I looked at the new haircut sported by her husband, Ren.  It was nothing short of perfection!  And, he stood in front of me with a pleased look radiating from his face.

“We went to get Ren a haircut and came across this place on Main Street.”  Jessi explained.  “I was a little suspect, so I stood outside and watched the this guy, Chris, move and his rhythm as he worked.  I work with some of the best hair stylists in the world and he worked just like they do!  So, after a few minutes of observation we went it and we were not disappointed!  You have to go!”

I did go and as a result I discovered some things about living an artistic life.

As soon as I walked through the door and into the busy shop I was greeted with a warm smile and welcoming hello from the man standing behind a chair, cutting hair.  He was working at a rhythmic, comfortable pace that created an air of confidence throughout his shop.  I was intrigued and took a seat not knowing what I was going to learn while there.

I went in for a haircut, yet learned valuable lessons, from Chris, about living an artistic life as we interacted so I wanted to share them with you.

Chris has created a unique atmosphere to reflect his personality while making a statement about his intended service.  Everything in the shop has been “collected,” meaning it wasn’t just thrown together over one weekend or even a couple of months.  He has been able to craft meaning and purpose out of his life’s experience and he shares it with others through his work.

He also shares his experience through carefully choreographed movements.  Every gesture is purposeful and exact so he gets a precise result for every person he attends to.  His movement and concentrated mannerisms are reminiscent of a great and legendary chef.  And, I quickly concluded, “This man is an artist!”  Watching him opened a new view about artistry to me.

I learned that an artist seeks and finds varying points of view.  He looks directly at his work and then looks away to study his effect in the huge, adjacent mirror hanging on the wall to his side.  Then he focuses back to his subject under creation.  And, by the time I left, I had the feeling that I had been transformed from a man into one piece of his much larger work of art.  As an artist, he made me part of something greater and more special.

“We found a place you need to go!” ran through my mind as I climbed into my car for the short ride home.  The thought made me smile because my experience at “Stay Classic Barber Shop” taught me that someone living an artistic life deepens joy, satisfaction and wonder for each one of us.  It’s a place we all need to go!