Gandhi once called upon us to be the change we wish to see in the world. Be the peace. Be the acceptance. Be the friend, the mediator, the mentor. Be beautiful.

This is one of the reasons I paint. It’s why I live a creative life. To try on a little beauty. When I’m feeling the cathartic effects of beauty I can forgive myself for my weaknesses, and I can accept those with whom I disagree.

Like Gandhi’s admonition, my gut intuition faithfully reminds me that I don’t have to dwell on the negative pieces of life. It’s telling me to be brave, to unrelentingly practice kindness and humility. To add to the good in the world.

One of the ways I feel I can do this is by expressing in paint my gratitude and pure amazement at the flat-out miracle of God’s art, as seen in all of nature. That’s what I’d rather dwell on.

In essence, the Infinite Grace within is urging me to be beautiful.

I’m trying.

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Graham Salisbury is a product of the Hawaiian Islands, his family having settled there in 1820. As the grandson of Hawai’i and New Zealand oil painter William Twigg-Smith, artistic expression has been a major factor in each of his chosen careers. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from California State University, Northridge, with a BA in Education, and earned a masters degree in writing at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Before falling in love with painting, he had successful careers in music (The Millennium) and writing (author of the national best-seller Under the Blood-Red Sun and many other award-winning novels for young readers).

“When I came to the mainland to go to college I fell instantly in love with the American West. I sometimes think I should have been a cowboy. I love the ethics of honor, hard work and grit, and I love the astounding beauty of the western landscape. I am utterly captivated and inspired by big skies, billowing clouds, country roads and farmlands, jaw-dropping desert sunsets and the rugged beauty of our rocky western shores. Besides completely enjoying what I do as an artist, my only creative intention is to paint personal interpretations of the natural beauty that surrounds us, what I call the miracle of God’s art. That’s it. I have no other agenda.”

Graham’s work can be found in collections in Hawai’i, Bhutan and multiple states across the continental U.S. His home and studio are in Lake Oswego, Oregon.