Clint Eastwood

This past week I've been doing some watercolors (with my awesome Sakura watercolor travel kit) to start my day. Somewhat as a warm up, as it may be. So, I've been doing portraits of people who inspire and/or entertain me in some way, shape, or form. I'd like to keep this on more of the inspirational end, but am sure that I will stray from that from time to time. I've been thinking about doing this for some time now, kind of like my own personal Hall of Fame, I guess. This will be artists, musicians, actors, authors, etc. People who have shaped my thinking and my palette in some way for the better. I hope.

The first...?

Clint Eastwood

So, just how does Mr. Eastwood inspire me? Well, for starters, his movies are just way too entertaining. Not just typical testosterone guy flicks, although there's plenty of that, but something a little more. There's grit there that doesn't exist in other action movies. But beyond what's on film, I'd like to think that Clint Eastwood is a man of character. I can only go by what I read and hear, because I've never met the man, but piecing all of this together I think one can get a pretty solid idea of what this man is about. He has a character all his own, a depth that most people can only dream about. By his own words, he abhors violence, yet makes violent movies. He has politics on his mind, but is apolitical. He's a storyteller with a conscience.

I often think of the line from Unforgiven when he says to the young gunslinger, "We all got it coming to us, kid." Then I can as easily think of Clyde pushing him out of the way to get a hold of that bottle of Jack Daniels in the Any Which Way movies. I have something to think about and something to laugh my ass off about. It's all there. Punk.