PROFILE
interesting perceptions (if you ever get
the pleasure to chat with him, you’ll
know what I’m talking about). When
I asked if he considered it a better
perception, he shrugged,
“It’s a unique perception, but it’s not
better.”
But where does it all start?
trip in the Canadian Rockies. On
the answering machine there was
a message about a party, so I went
and had literally two beers. On the
way home, because of tiredness from
18 hours of driving—and because of
the influence of the beers—I bumped
into a curb and I cried out, ‘God
help me with my drinking problem!’
It was a sudden realization that I had
a problem. I mean, everyone I knew
drank. It was in 1986, and nary has a
drop passed my lips since that night.”
“I was born with an artistic soul,” he
explained, “Even when I was a kid I This was the beginning of his
reconstruction into the lovable cyclist
was always drawn to the arts.”
we know today.
Though he adorns a positive and
bright attitude, the origins of “Living with no secrets about
Kenneth’s artistic journey were not anything—It’s a great way to live.
easy. He admitted that he never had Clarity.”
any support.
Artistic Soul fully freed, he made
“I tried to stifle it. I had no parental up for lost time—acting, directing,
encouragement. I had great parents, writing, painting, sketching—
but they never encouraged me to do anything and everything. Of them,
I inquired which was his favorite
anything.”
artistic endeavor. I was surprised by
Life was hard, especially since his his answer, “Theatre. Period. There’s
family immigrated from Scotland nothing like being on the stage.”
when he was only four. It was an
uncomfortable time, “I always thought Kenneth has performed in well over
it was because I was an immigrant, fifty plays and had a hand in directing
as well (for which he received an
not used to the American Way.”
award). Perhaps this explains a bit of
His journey went down a dark road his expressive mannerisms.
as he grew older. The stifling of his
perceptions and interests forced him But it’s not about acting, sketching,
to find an outlet—alcohol. At only or painting—It’s about the mindset
eight years old he started to have of day-to-day life.
a taste for it, and by fourteen was
“I don’t see things the same way. I see
drinking regularly.
beauty in all kinds of things people
don’t even notice. I don’t bother with
ugliness most of the time. Ugliness has
a message also, it’s not necessarily
negative. But I love beauty.”
“I realized I was trying to cover up my
artistic soul with booze. I wasn’t facing
reality—my reality. I never wanted to
face reality, ever. My reality was I
was a skinny little kid who didn’t fit
in anywhere—until I started drinking.” When could ugliness not be negative?
This dark reality clung to him for “When it teaches lessons.”
another twenty-five years.
I couldn’t help but smile as I was
“I was 39 when I stopped drinking. logging his many words of wisdom.
I was returning from a camping Who knew I would garner such
insights within just a few hours of
conversation? But one of his quotes
caught me of f guard,
“I don’t take the sky for granted,” he
had mused, “A lot of years I walked
with my head down. But when I looked
up, it was like a spiritual awakening.”
Rarely have a I heard something so
impactful coming from a ‘regular’
person. It felt as though he had handed
me my own spiritual awakening. If
you really think about it—How many
sunsets have gone unnoticed? How
many stars overlooked or birdsongs
unheard? Even now, I marvel at the
decorations around me that I hadn’t
noticed before (were there always
giant sacks of coffee beans hanging
from the ceiling in Rosallie?). Ask
yourself—when was the last time
something awed or inspired you?
Have you even looked?
Through Kenneth’s eyes exists a world
which many do not (or refuse to) see,
but I don’t think these ideologies are
horded by the Artistic Souls of the
world alone. I think, perhaps, it may
come naturally for them, whereas
with others it takes a little more work.
Rediscovering the world, being true
to yourself, finding what makes you
happy—it doesn’t have to be hard.
Just look up.
A. M. Elm can be found at your local
coffee shop writing wholesome
tales, creative fiction, and thorough
Yelp reviews (when the occasion
calls for it). A graduate of Rollins
College and an intern for Winter
with the Writers, her mind is filled
with a breadth of literary skill and
talent that can sometimes be seen
through her misplaced humor.
Word also has it that she likes your
outfit today—it really brings out
your eyes.
SEPTEMBER 2018
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WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE |
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