The Life of the Artist part 1

New Mexico Desert

1975

So what is it about Jim Sullivan that compels me to tell his story, from a photoshoot in the desert to capture what his final hours may have been like, to starting up on blogging in an attempt to raise awareness about this forgotten man?

Is it that his life ended in mystery with an unexplained turn of events or that his lyrics and sound had the qualities that matched the eerie outcome of his final hours? Or is it that I have come to learn other factors surrounding his disappearance that are coated with, shall I dare say the word, "conspiracy"?

I think it's all of these things and at the core of it is a strong resonance with this individual, a strong identification as an artist. There is a familiarity that hits too close too home, more so than any other character I have ever approached to play in an acting performance. Jim Sullivan's story could very easily have happened to me or anyone of my like-minded friends. His story compels me to heighten my own awareness of what drives me, as a storyteller, to take action.

Many aspiring artists, at some point in their lives, decide to pack up their bags and move to another, unfamiliar area in hopes of turning their talent into success or to simply make a living as an artist. There are many who sign up to the artist life only to come to find that it is not all that it's cracked up to be. They've booked some work and have received recognition, and managed to earn an income but not enough to make a living. Or they've found consistent work and yet the fulfillment and creative freedom isn't quite there. We artists find ourselves working many different non-artist jobs because of course, we need to sustain ourselves. We experience uncertainty, doubt and sometimes loneliness. Our actions and commitment are questioned by those around us. We take a look at our surroundings, our lives, and our careers and we are not satisfied because we know that there is something more that will bring us to feel alive. Something is blocked, something is stagnant and not working. We get a sense that a shift is needed in order to bring some type of fulfillment or harmony into our lives, so we plan and plot, we get organized and we make our move. Why? Because we passionately wish to reinvent ourselves. In many cases, when the going gets rough, the artist returns home. In other cases, whether the success comes or not, the artist adheres to their path and to their reinvention and discovery of self.

In Jim Sullivan's case, we will never know, because he disappeared before he could ever get to experience his grandest potential.

Lost