my name is edward van vliet

i have been reading my name is asher lev by chaim potok and i love it. it will definitely be one of the books i recommend to anyone who believes their calling is to be an artist. there are numerous great quotes about art and the artist's calling and the artist's place (responsibility?) within their own and the larger culture, but it's the relationships and conversations in this book that are truly moving as they explore the tensions between the calling of artist and the individual's cultural and religious context. i look forward to reading the sequel, the gift of asher lev. there is so much that resonated with me, and so many ideas to engage with. over the next few weeks i will be discussing some of these themes and my thoughts about them, as well as the questions they raised for me.

please join me.