*Flight of the Mind* Becomes Reality: A Book is Born

Anne, Marcus and Leslee toast as we finish the final proofing.
Our eyes are tired, but all the i's are dotted and the t's crossed.
Special thanks to our readers, whose eyes were a gift.

It is official! The book, Flight of the Mind: A Painter's Journey through Paralysis, is complete and on its way to the presses where it will be printed in full-bleed color, on paper specifically chosen for its weight and quality, and encased in an embossed, cloth-bound hard-cover.  Then, dear reader, Flight of the Mind will find its way into your hands, and you will no longer have to settle for this computer screen to experience the world and work of Marcus Thomas.

The existence of this book and other books like it - books that are carefully created, and crafted with painstaking attention to detail - are a testament to the intrinsic value of the art of book-making. Beautiful books are an experience in themselves - to the eyes, the mind, the imagination. This experience can be enjoyed in the busiest metropolis, in the most remote corner of the backcountry, anywhere, again and again. A good book offers an experience that can be shared, passed down through generations, shared from hand to hand, neighbor to neighbor, pored over together at the kitchen table or the school library. And even once the book itself has aged to tatters, a particularly fine book lives on in the minds, eyes and hands of those who loved it, who remember turning its pages and experiencing the world it invited them into every time they opened the cover.  

After more than a year of good, hard labor, to see Flight of the Mind come to into the world, clothed in paper and ink is akin to the birth of a long-awaited beloved child. So we invite you to celebrate with us! Raise a glass to Flight of the Mind. And join us on this blog as we announce the pre-ordering details in the coming days, so that you can move beyond this blog, and hold our hard-won and well-loved work in your hands.

Work and Love: Year of the Dragon

What are you bringing to life these days?

People all over the world celebrated the Chinese New Year this past week. Apparently, we should expect a big baby boom  because the dragon is such a lucky sign to be born under. I think this lucky blessedness holds true for bringing creative work to life as well, and right now, we are in a fortuitous place with Flight of the Mind: A Painter's Journey through Paralysis. 


The text is undergoing revision for the final draft, which is a tender and meaningful process. And Lydia Inglett is at work on the design and layout. We are getting glimpses of how the book will look, feel and sound, which heightens our expectations! Indeed, it is as if we are "expecting" in the parental sense of the word, and even when we are dreaming, we are preparing a space for our love and hard work to be at home in the world.

This weekend, Marcus and Anne return to the Naples Invitational Art Fest in Florida, where last year, Marcus won Best of Show. If you are anywhere close to Naples, stop by to see the evidence of their work and love in person.

In the next few days and weeks, we will chronicle progress on the book and use the blog to fine-tune some of the sections, testing out names on you, our faithful audience. You are part of this too, and just as it takes a community to raise a healthy child, without your receiving eyes and ears, we'd just be whistling in the dark (which has its merits, but becomes rather lonely). So thank you, and please join us as we expect the best and continue the work of bringing our love into the light of day.

Kairos, the spirit of good timing, is with us

Bob films Marcus cruising through the lovely day at Lake James.

The ancient Greeks believed in two different aspects of time. Chronos embodied the passage of clock time, responsible for days, hours, minutes, the way we age. Kairos embodied the split-second opportunity, the spirit of good timing and the eternal instant. This spirit of "the right time," Kairos, is depicted balanced atop wheels with wings on his ankles, holding a sharp edge representing the "split" second in which opportunity arrives and must be seized.

As we work on capturing the last 25 years of Marcus' time creating art, we find ourselves blessed with many good moments in which we almost seem to transcend clock-time to dwell in possibility and opportunity -  moments that last a lifetime.  The spirit of Kairos hovers around us as the right people gather at the right place in the perfect time to create the book.

Lydia Inglett, Marcus, Leslee and Anne (behind the camera) discuss timing.

In the past couple weeks - how time flies! - we've begun to work with Lydia Inglett, who will design the book. That process will soon be underway and her vision is inspiring us all.

We've also spent some time in front of the camera ourselves, thanks to Bob Peck of revpictures, a talented videographer who is working with us to film the DVD portion of the project. Saturday afternoon found us all at Lake James. Vibrant leaves served as a fitting backdrop for a fireside chat which was profound and inspiring.

We cannot know what the next days, weeks and month will hold, but with the good work before us, the right people beside us, and the blessing of good timing, we know we are in for a harvest season of grand possibilities. 

Kairos, the spirit of good timing.