Art and Music, My Internal Battle of Creative Callings

As a child, I grew up surrounded with Nature and fascinated with mechanics.

I spent hours out on the lakes and streams catching all kinds of turtles and frogs while at home taking things apart, figuring them out and putting them back together.

When it was time to choose a high school, I decided on attending a Technical high School for Auto Mechanics, with a goal to take over my Dad's Auto dealership someday.

But fate would take another turn and at around 18 years of age I became interested in Music after seeing “The Doors” play live in Philadelphia. This new interest had me adapt my mechanics skills for cars to working on Pianos as a tuner technician.

This career change gave me a skill that would earn me a living while freeing up my time to create. I would work in the shop, tune some pianos, and be home by mid afternoon.

Along with this, as a child I grew up exposed to all the wonderful inspiring music my Dad played in the house from Rachmaninoff to Puccini. And as my parents attended the great Broadway shows like West Side Story and Carousel, I would hear these memorable soundtracks all through the house as well.

But what to pursue? Music or painting?

Both are demanding endeavors, and in order to excel in either would take great time and dedication. I switched back and forth spending time doing both.

Painting, then song writing and then back to art again.

I also began to study classical piano with a Juilliard Graduate as I continued teaching myself painting and drawing on my own. And feeling it was time, I spent several summers of Continuing Ed at the New York Academy of Arts, The School of Visual Arts, and the Art Students League, all in NYC , just to see what was being taught there.

I also took time to make a visit to Paris for 14 days to study all the great art in The Louvre and the Musee D'Orsay, so I could see in person the great classical and renaissance art in these world famous museums.

And to take a complete break from these callings, was my passion for playing Ice Hockey. The artist Chuck Close once told me I would truly struggle having too many callings. He always told me he attributed his single mindedness as a great asset to his amazing art career.

But for me it was a continual balancing of Painting and Music to this very day.

I wouldn't have changed a thing.

doug auld 2020

"The Battle of Music and Art" oil on panel. 20”x24” c dougauld 1971