The Reemergence of the Lost Artist

After three years of the Artistic Lawyer, it just occurred to me that I’ve been selfish with my art.  Yes, I’ve shared my comical stories.  Recently, I’ve even branched into fiction.  But this morning I realized that I’ve never shared my drawings or the vast majority of the thousands of photos that I’ve taken over the years.  Even if you’ve seen some of the photos, you have not heard the stories behind them.  Well that is about to change…    

From the late 90’s to early 2000’s, I practiced law with a large law firm in Atlanta, GA.  My plush window office was on the 31st floor of a midtown Atlanta high-rise that offered astonishing views of the Atlanta skyline, as well as breathtaking sunset views.  Those sunsets would speak to me every single day.  But since they were so fleeting, I felt an incredible urge to capture them.  In 2001, one of my co-workers sold me a Nikon digital camera.  My life was forever changed.  It didn’t take long to discover that I could shoot through the glass and capture the sunsets perfectly.   I kept that Nikon at the office and started shooting the sunsets on a regular basis.  The news of my new-found passion spread quickly throughout the firm.  When there was an especially awesome sunset, my co-workers would ring my phone off the hook to make sure that I had the camera ready.  I’ve shared a photo of  my favorite sunset taken from the office.  Yes, it does look like it was taken on Mars.  Yes, it is completely real; no Photoshop involved.      

Although the desire to capture the sunsets got me started in photography, I have always had an artistic side.  Many of you might recall the magazines ads from back in the day which asked you to draw a turtle, pirate, or some other character, and then send in the drawing to some far off art school.   Of course I sent in a drawing, and the next thing I knew some recruiter was knocking on our door trying to get me enrolled.  Although that school probably recruited everyone who sent in a drawing, his visit sure made me feel like a true artist.  In high school, my outlets were drawing, painting, pen & ink, and scratchboard.  My work earned a membership into the National Art Honor Society.  My art teacher literally begged me to pursue art as a major in college (but that’s a story for another day).  Needless to say, I chose a different path. 

After years of not creating any art, it was (ironically) the view from my law office that got me into photography and back to my artistic roots.  When I started working in that office, I had no idea that I would become enamored with the sunsets and discover photography as a passion.  That just goes to show that if there’s an artist in you, it is going to find its way out, one way or another.    

Welcome to the Artistic Lawyer’s Photo of the Day.  Get ready for a photographic ride.  I’m not sure how long it will last.  Actually, I do know; as long as I have photos with stories to tell.