An Artist Comment

I can not stay away, I had to think about this very carefully, After hearing about a million dollar piece of art go up for auction is something that is in the
eye of the beholder the buyer such a large amount of money I believe that choice should belong to them, A painting, solid blue white line running through the middle was recently purchased in Europe. And what can one say it must be nice, I do wonder about it, I have never recalled painting a solid canvas with a line running thru the middle of the canvas, the outcome an abstract. Has my life been an abstract of sorts, events of real life moments. What exactly does a solid painting with a white line running thru the middle do for me? I can not image how much thought went into such a painting or exactly how many brush strokes was involved to achieve the success, knowing one day it would sell for a million dollars.

In my case I have taken photos and painted my entire life since the age of 10 and ealier.... I have never attempted marketing my photography until I joined Fine Art America thou I always envisioned my first premiere photographers show, it makes me wonder of other events in my own personal life,the value of human life vs the value of a canvas.....There is no comparison life vs canvas, but it is mind boggling to know a canvas painted blue with a white line sold for a million dollars....

I have overcome many obstacles throughout my life, nothing as simplistic as a solid canvas with a white line, which I keep thinking about.....my family took us to an air show, well jets came down from the sky and one of them broke the sound barrier from what I remember about that day, I collapsed and started turning blue, convulsion, when the jet broke the sound barrier it was the first intensive sound I ever heard.... they rushed me to the hospital only to find out somehow there was a growth of tissue from my tonsils amass which grew into oth sides inside my head or behind my mouth cavity, my ear canal from within my body that sound was the first sound I heard pretty much in my life. they removed my tonsils and the growth, while I was in the hospital there was a person in my room next to me, he had broken a foot don't remember his name, he heard me strangle in my sleep and he somehow got out of his bed pulled me up and i puked blood, the stiches in my mouth opened while I was sleeping, this person if he was not there I would have downed on my blood.....at an earlier age from my memory, I remember riding on a public service bus and my mother told me we were going to see a doctor....I remember taking all sorts of test for co-ordination, colors and so forth....I am certain somewhere in the back of my parents minds they may have thought somehow I may had a syndrome or challenged.....they new something was abnormal.......I remember I would mimic sounds.....

...a few years back, I fell off a scaffol, and hit the concrete head first, dazed, I managed to call my sister get over here fast I may not make it, she picked me up and rushed me to the hospital. I had a hickee from across my forehead as large as a cuccumber to above my right ear. Family members got very concerned and were very worried no one would tell them anything. As I lay on the stretcher looking up a surgeon comes into view, he leaded forward and tells me, Mr. Hoard after viewing your CAT scan I have some unfortunate news to inform you. I replied, what, what, what is it, he informed me I had a brain tumor. I burst out laughing and had the entire emergency laughing in tears and replied that is not a brain tumor that is a hickee, I had fallen off a scaffol and it's a hickie, then the emergecy room fell silent, once again the doctor leaned closer to me and said, Mr. Hoard you have a brain tumor, we will need to observe and run alot of test, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The doctors could not explain one way or the other was I born with the tumor or was it something recent. For two months I could not glance upwards, I could not just get out of bed suddendly but turn sideways and then sit up and I was fine. I had spasms, I could not walk normally...the severe impact hitting the concrete shifted the mass causing all the typical symptoms I had. Finally after over two months plus of observations and test to see if the tumor was growing, my doctor informs me, I have great news we show no signs of enlargement, the tumor had calcified you will be ok. I do recall while in college and using the campus pool when I would dive underwater the impact of hitting the water would cause me to have odd bodys spasm and because I was scared I no longer went swimming after that. I pretty much am certain I was born with this tumor.

I was going blind three years ago my eye doctor discovered this I started having strange eye problems, diagnosed with glaccoma, oh you will be ok, and I am ok my eye surgeon performed laser surgery on both around 6 months apart, I now see perfectly,
There is a purpose why I am still here and continue to connect the dots to the circle of life.....

Earlier in the year I was diagnossed with a mass on my kidney a few months ago he was not sure if it was cancer. oh my doctor surgeon went in, informed me this past monday, I am good as new, no cancer, no mass I have suffered with gall bladder and bladder problems since 1998 and since the procedure, I have had no gall bladder occurrence's till today.

A few years ago when I was working offshore, I had to take the Coast Guard survival class, well you are put in a mock helicopter and its turned upside down submerged in 20 feet of water, well you are strapped turned upside down and the trained personal are under water with you as well, you had to unbuckle your strap and free yourself and exit through the window. all of this while your eyes are shut, reason for that is because of a night-time crash and being submerged underwater its dark you can not see much of anything. This test is repeated from every seat which is available on the helicopters used for transporting personnel offshore. Well, I pretty much was trapped and was drowning and as I was being pulled to the surface and upon reaching the surfacet I puked the water out of my lungs, the instructors said you passed the test you will be ok.

So, I am not a person of greed but if someone is willing to pay something extraordinary for something I created oh I would use the money wisely.
I have no car at the moment, I ride my bike everyday, no TV at the moment, my computer is my access to the world, If I were to win the lottery I would buy a home, car and boat the rest I would give to world wide charity's, such as The American Kidney Foundation, The American Women's Breast Cancer Research, The World Aids Foundation, The American Veterans Foundation, And The American Heart Foundation, The American Diabetics Association And World Hunger and countless others.
These organizations all mean the world to me and I do what ever I can do for them over the years.

We all strive throughout our lives to achieve whatever it may be some achieve while others do not, yet those individuals are too part of society and offer contributions even if it is a solid canvas with a white line.....

About 5 years ago my doctor informed me, it was ok if I wanted to cry but in my mind I thought I was terminal. I replied back I already new what death or near death was. I gave it careful thought yet privately I mourned for a week knowing I could not alter my past but was going to alter my future and without any meds I controlled my illness from the images of my photography, the inspiration of the life which surrounds me each and every day, after having my procedure this summer for my gall bladder and the tumor on my kidney and my lymph nodes going haywire and suffering from lymphoadenophy my body has gone into remission, the future is certain and the meds at present have to carefully be monitored because its an altered state, and more deadly lethal than the illness, I did not mention this to anyone until I was certain the doctors were absolutely certain they were all dumfounded by recent test results within two weeks my body has ceased any progression of the illness at present. No side effects nothing......my new profile photo reveals my content, from the very conception to the very first breath we breath its all numbers, the formula of each owns individuality.

With everything I do, every task I challenge, it rejuvenates my spirit to co exist with the world and my surroundings, would I even attempt to paint a solid canvas with a white line, perhaps not I am busy connecting dots...I suppose I could paint dots, or circles somewhat related but a solid canvas with a white line. Its all about the perspective or placement of the white line......

I followed Suzanne Somers how she challenged the medical field and how she achieved her own inner healing with diet and exercise, so when I went for a follow up visit recently I told my doctor I had not taken my meds until my birthdate which is 25 I was born on November 25 and started on August 25, 2013, so I had a plan and its working, I now have two birthdays, my birthdate and my altered birthday......my doctors and associates commented how symbolic and without question creates a positive state of mind on a personal level.....

And with that said, I suppose I will have sweet dreams tonight, knowing tomorrow I will make my first sale here on Fine Art America.

Revised 2015 (that sale did occur in April of 2014, not one, not two, not three but four sales from a wonderful buyer in Texas)

Over the years I have written my life experiences or talk among friends to inspire in the belief 'no dream is beyond reach while achieving success' or help in a time of need, or share their pains and grief.......

Altered Perceptions
from The Dark Room
by Michael Hoard
(C) 2013

The Memoir's Of Faith
A Novel by
by Michael Hoard
(C) 2014
.
Informed by my doctors January 2015 I am in perfect health and remain in remission. My doctors visits now only occur every 6 months rotating every 4.....

I am currently retired October 2014 after a career as a chef locally in New Orleans, Louisiana which consumed 17 years of my working career since the age of 15 years old.

Currently in Theatre, TV and Motion Pictures and now a Principal Actor appearing in the new motion picture 'The Free State Of Jones' staring Mathew McConhey to be released in May 2016.....I won an open audition and perform life my interpretive music.....

Featured in the upcoming episode 15 of NCIS New Orleans to air February 17, 2015 which happens to be a high action episode which takes place during Mardi Gras and airs on Mardi Gras Night February 17, 2015. My current avatar will be featured in one of the scenes. Because of contract I can not disclose where it may be seen but suggest you watch.

Presently multi-tasking and working on one of the largest projects I have ever created to be seen on BLOG a site on the inner-net and also to be seen here at Fine Art America. ( A blog about the Bicentennial of The State of Louisiana and the Battle of New Orleans through a photographers eyes photos taken with a camera I borrowed)

Photography and blog of the reenactment of one of the most historic battles fought in the country and Louisiana.

My memoirs titled
Mourning Glows!
A Christmas Story (C 2014
(A collection of my photos taken since 10 years old and a combined novel including inserts from a novel project unfinished titled

The Masque Murders (C) 1990's

Plans also for the future my first collective archival premiere art show of my photos since 10 years old.

Plans are also in the works and producing short videos and a video collage of my 53 years in photography.