It was a while back, maybe twenty years ago. I was setting up for an exhibition of some of my photography. It was a modest affair in a local coffee shop.
My artist friend Katherine had helped arrange this opportunity for me with the owners of the shop. When I was preparing to hang my pictures and arrange them on the walls of the cafe, I asked Katherine for advice. I expected her to say something about the technical nature of hanging the framed pieces, about how to group them on the walls of the place in the best light, and all that. Instead, she offered me something else, some of the best advice anyone has ever given me.
“The most important thing,” she said, “is to keep it fun.” No, she didn’t counsel me about arranging the pieces at eye level or about grouping them in a certain way or about the mat colors versus the frame materials or even the hanging hardware. I ended up figuring all that out mostly on my own just fine.
“Keep it fun.”
I had known Katherine for a long time, so I immediately knew what she meant. Ahh…of course, I realized. All those other details pale in comparison to the importance of keeping it fun.
So what exactly does she mean by “keep it fun?” Does she mean it in a frivolous, la-de-da way? In a hippy, groovy, carefree way?
Well, no. You see, although Katherine is a kind, good-natured, and generous person, she is also a serious professional artist, ever in the pursuit of excellence. Her technical expertise is highly developed, and she doesn’t just “mess around” in her work.
What she means by “keep it fun” is to always keep the big picture of what you’re doing in mind, don’t get lost or bogged down in the technical details. While such details are quite important, they are simply the way to approach the objective; they help you to get there.
Put another way, it’s, “Keep the joy in it.”
She means to always strive to be joyful. Keep a knowing smile on your face if at all possible.
The short and sweet “keep it fun” could be expanded to say, “keeping the joy in the expression of your work, whatever it may be, task great or small, should be kept foremost in mind. It is the most effective strategy in carrying out your duty to its most successful end.”
When Marybeth and I are figuring out the logistics of something and stumbling over the details, one of us will eventually say, “Remember, just keep it fun.” And then with that little attitude adjustment, and some time things seem to settle into place.
Keep it fun. Try it. Thanks, Katherine.
John, “Johnny” Robinson is a native Roanoker. He’s a retired dentist, but a description of his life so far would include deep interests beyond providing dental care. He has been writing as a hobby since he was a boy, and is one of The Roanoke Star’s founding columnists. Married to Marybeth and the father of three sons, he remains fascinated with the curiosities of life. Travel, hiking, running, skiing, sailing, paragliding, playing guitar and piano have all captivated him.
