Passion is Discovered by Paying Attention.

I recently made the painting created by Jean-Michel Basquiat that was sold to a Japanese Billionaire for 110 million dollars one of my favorite photos. The photo was used as a draw to the attention of hard work and passion. Basquiat has been dead since August 12, 1988. He died at the age of 27, which is very young for such a great body of work that recognition has evolved over the years. Art, if loved by the elite become valuable over time and especially if the artist is deceased. Art is what you make it and what you value it. Basquiat is quoted “I don't think about art when I'm working. I try to think about life.” Art was therapeutic for Basquiat and a passion of his. The paintings came easily and naturally and wasn’t critic or thought provoked. Basquiat’s paintings have sold for over 500 million dollars to date, and I may be under estimating with that number.
 
The point being that when you put in the work and have a passion for what you do the success will come. Luck will seem to fall on your side and things will all line up as they should. Basquiat died from a heroin overdose in his art studio in Manhattan New York. This was one obstacle that he could not overcome in his life. He did however overcome great odds against him previous to his drug addiction. Basquiat was born in Brooklyn to a Haitian father and a Puerto Rican mother. Brooklyn in the 60’s was far from gentrified, and that means it was the ghetto and he was a minority on top of that. At the age of 8 Jean-Michel was hit by a car while playing in the street. He broke his arm and had internal injuries, and he eventually underwent a splenectomy. Basquiat parents separated the same year and after five years of living in Brooklyn, he and his 3 siblings moved to Puerto Rico. They lived in Puerto Rico for 2 years before moving back to Brooklyn in 1976. Basquiat is now 16 years of age and being raised by his father. Basquiat’s mother was committed to a mental institution when he was 13, and she was in and out of institutions thereafter.
 
Basquiat found his passion at a very early age and started his work with very little resources at his disposal. What in the hell is holding you back from starting your passion and working your ass off? I know finding something that you are passionate about seems impossible sometimes but it is easier done than said. What do you love and what do you love to do and not be paid for it? What brings JOY to your life and a smile to your face? Think about these simple things the passion will be revealed. My passion for wanting to help others discover their passion came over time. I would cry tears of joy when I saw someone else accomplish their dreams. I would watch the show undercover boss, and at the end of each episode the undercover boss would give back to his employees in a great way. The bosses would give money and other things to help the individual move forward in life and accomplish their dreams. I couldn’t help but be overjoyed for the person that is receiving the gift and in awe of the person giving the gift. I also would have conversations with individuals that didn’t seem to have an imagination outside of society’s standards. This would greatly bother me and I would find myself wanting more for them than they did for themselves. Me paying attention to those things then turned into me developing my blog and becoming active on social media to deliver my message to the masses. I am now writing a book and continuing with that message through other avenues as well. Pay attention to yourself and be honest with yourself and your passion will be exposed to self.
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