"Chuck Dodson has created a wonderful harbor for the creative free artistic spirits of our local community...."

At the bottom of this page you can read my comments on Chuck's gallery in yellow type.

I met Quentin Crisp during May's gallery walk. The first time I noticed him, he was talking to Chris Seidl, whom I also got to meet the same evening. (the photo above is my creation focused on Quentin -on the left)

There was an immediate sense of connectivity. Yet, for some reason that only later I found out, I kept from approaching him at that time. Later, after I left the gallery and started on my way back to where I had left my car, I ran right into him. What followed is best told by the writer himself. If you click on the picture above or Quentin's name the story in his words will come up.

Chris Seidl is a young passionate photographer with whom I had a delightful time visiting and sharing our love for the art.

Chuck Dodson has created a wonderful harbor for the creative free artistic spirits of our local community, while making it an international home to very accomplished talent from all corners of the planet. At his home/studio we can experience that magical and joyful ,and even euphoric at times, feeling of beingness (if this is an official word -- or not!-) that is unique to the synergistic product of the gathering of alive and progressive artists. It is a "you have to be there to feel and understand" environment, Yet, you have to be open and willing to be part of such magical privilege to fully experience its deeper spiritual essence.

When I manage to escape the world of commercial and professional obligations to come and indulge in such experience I always live with more that what I brought in. Sometimes by just backing up and watching the overall dance of sounds, movements, the art display, and the creative energy revolving about the place, I know that I actually am looking at some part of the universal intelligence processing and creating the next moment. To me this is a holly experience. As each cell of our brain process information, as a whole it creates our perceived sense of reality form the present moment into the next one, generating a living state of experience.

By bringing together a broad range of artists from young and aspiring artists to some of the most accomplished artists around the world (representing varied forms of art _expression), Chuck Dodson is revealing himself as a composer of the rarest kind. In addition to is love and dedication for his music, Chuck also knows how to bring all kinds of different creative spirits together orchestrating a song to very essence of human creativity.

I feel I can rub shoulders with God when I am around the crowds that Chuck invites because I am free to be myself, share my heart and soul with other artists, be inspired by them, feel my heart soar as a result, and arrive at a place within me where there is nothing but love, joy and happiness that expands as far as I can perceive the whole universe.

Even if these words reflect only my perception of such experiences, they are nevertheless real to me, and to some degree or another to all of us in their unique way.

Chuck himself is a multi talented artists always growing, learning, inspiring, and most of all generously giving of his heart. Hot Springs is truly fortunate to have him and I hope that our community will open their doors to his dreams of service to the world of the arts.

There is no "grander" or physical display about his place, instead, there is a sense of honesty and purpose. It is not the box but who and what you put in it that counts. At Chuck Dodson's is the spirit of creativity that counts and indeed it shines!!!!