“Life is either a great adventure or nothing.” – Helen Keller
Artists and adventurers make the best leaders. They are the ones who push us (and themselves) to explore the world beyond our comfortable limits: physically and emotionally. They’re the risk takers and big thinkers we need as our guides.
When I think of leaders, I often envision a middle-aged man wearing a red power tie with his dark blue suit, or someone in a uniform loaded with medals of war – or a silver-haired woman in a designer dress with sensible shoes. But none of these models of leadership fit the best leaders I’ve met – the adventurer and artist.
It’s my group of explorers who don’t let the trappings of power overshadow their intentions. They’re humble and unassuming people like Brian Christensen who makes his living as a National Geographic photographer, artist, and storyteller. Brian has enriched my life by taking me places I wouldn’t otherwise go. Even in his photographs, like the ones I’ve included here, he helps me discover a Nature I wouldn’t find without him in the lead.
I wish I’d have been with Brian when he took the pictures in this story; maybe next time I can hear him talk about the Tatseshini River that flows through the ranges of the Chilkoots and the Fairweather. He can explain how the river later forms Alsek Lake, and how the lake has been in that spot since the close of the ice age.
“It’s a spectacular wilderness cutting between Kluane Wilderness Park in Canada and Glacier Bay Park and Wrangell-St. Elias Wilderness in the United States. While surrounded by moose, bears, wolves and the glacially carved landscape, we marveled at how small we were in the largeness of Nature.”
It’s in Brian’s words that I feel the largeness of Nature; how I’m only a grain on its grand shore. He teaches me why, “… respect doesn’t come down from the top, it floats up from the bottom when we take care to keep the world alive and well.”
Bill Gates once said “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” That’s Brian, helping others become empowered to see the world with new eyes. We need these leaders to help us keep our world alive and well for the future; without letting those wearing the trappings get in our way.
I’ll never journey to all the exciting places The Adventurers describe, or create any great works beside The Artists but I’ll listen to their stories, and study their work and hope to understand how true wisdom always bubbles up from the common.
How have you seen artists and adventurers as leaders in your life? Can you tell me how it’s in risk taking that movements are started?
Can something as simple as street art tell us a story, even start a movement for change?
Epilogue
If you like Brian’s images you can visit his site and discover the perfect image for you; either for your home or a wall as large as a billboard in your office.
Aaagh, you are stimulating the incessant desire I have to travel, with this post. Lovely!!!
Denise – Thanks for joining the conversation. An incessant desire to travel sounds like a good thing to me. Mark Twain agreed; telling us, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” It’s in the second sentence of this famous quote from The Innocents Abroad that Brian Christiansen seems to draw his wisdom; “… respect doesn’t come down from the top, it floats up from the… Read more »
It takes courage to dream a new dream and tell your unique story. Artists and adventures innately have this. They cannot be other than. So for then its not viewed as courage. It’s just how they are. We all have this same potential and that’s the very reason we are here right now on this planet. Not to follow the status quo but to create a world in alignment with the planet, respect and love for nature and each other. Can we all take the risk to see the world in a new light of possibilities? These images of vast… Read more »
Christina – I too believe that artists and adventures innately have the courage to see and take the next step, even when others are unsure. It’s with them that we can create the alignment where, “…respect and love for nature and each other” can give us what our only home – this earth – deserves. As for saying that leaders don’t need courage: I’m not so sure. I can only imagine how frightened you are when standing in front of a large (expensive) block of marble with your chisel and mallet, pondering the first blow to split the stone. I… Read more »
Sorry for the late reply! First off, there are no pictures of me in this wild Alaska landscape, that person drawing is my friend Sarah and she is an amazing leader: raft guide, developer of Sturdy Pine bags, and sketch artist. In terms of leadership, I’ve thought a lot on this article for the last month since you wrote it and have not fully recognized myself as a leader. All we can really do as individuals is to live what you preach. It’s hard being a caring individual these days when you realize how many resources it takes to keep… Read more »
Brian –
Maybe that makes you the best leader of all because you are right in saying how all we can do as individuals is to live what we preach and be constantly questioning. I’d say that makes you a leader most will follow.
As for Sturdy Pine Gear and Repair in Salmon, ID., they look like the people we need more of in our lives.
So a “tip of the hat” to all the leaders who are; even without the label.
– Bruce