“Dream of Flight,” has special meaning for me, and I felt it was important to contact you regarding the reason I purchased a print.

My boyfriend is incredibly smart, creative and soulful. He has a master’s degree in private security, holds 7th degree black-belts in five different forms of martial arts, he’s a certified electrician and he speaks four different languages. He also happens to be schizophrenic.

There was a movie, based on a true story, called A Beautiful Mind that did a great job of helping neuro-typicals understand the complexity of this type of mental illness, but it wasn’t until I saw this painting that I realized a single image could as well.

The painting suggests that “normal” people doubt the dreams or abilities of inventors, but it is the “mad” scientists who envision a new way of doing things. Not only do these “wacky” personalities dream it, they can manifest their visions. Some of the most famous Renaissance men, leaders, artists, theorists, inventors, musicians and mathematicians were/are mentally ill. Or should they be referred to as mentally gifted; seeing things in a way we mere mortals can’t.

I think someday experts will say that we’re all on a continuum of mental illness in some fashion or another. The only difference between imagination and hallucination is the later takes place in the region of the brain that also produces nightmares. When I think about being jarred awake by some of my most horrifying dreams, I can’t believe anyone could function in a never-ending nightmare, much less get a master’s degree while a voice in their head is telling them to drive off a cliff.

To me, “Dream of Flight” is a celebration of people who see things that aren’t there. And instead of being afraid of their visions they investigate them and seek solutions that could change life in a way “normal” people are incapable of. When I asked my boyfriend how he’s managed to accomplish so much despite the challenges, he said, because I wanted to become the type man who could attract a woman like you. Sweeter words have never been spoken.

Thanks for creating a piece of work that honors the minds of extraordinary people, like my guy.

- Diane

Some things have a calming effect for most people: being near the water, watching a beautiful sunset, being with someone you love. In this case, J. Pitre’s painting called At Rest has all three, plus the image of a boat I saw the night I met my wife on a blind date.

I’d never seen her before, but friends set us up thinking that I (a veterinarian) and she (a woman who ran an animal shelter) might have a few things in common. The plan was to meet at 8:00 for dinner at the Rusty Scupper, a seafood restaurant in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. I went early to watch the sunset. The sky was awash with colors from orange to indigo. Rays of sunlight shined through the silhouette of the masts on the ships and into the restaurant making the entire place glow. It was breathtaking.

And just when I thought nothing could be more beautiful, she walked in.

The only thought I had was— YES. To everything. Her face, those lovely cheeks bones, her beautiful mouth, skin that shimmered like silk. And the way she moved, hypnotic. I was drunk by the site of her.

I remember the next few minutes like they happened yesterday. I stood to introduce myself. She smiled that gorgeous smile and said it was nice to meet me, but she wasn’t accustomed to strangers introducing themselves. She glanced away and waved to another table.

She wasn’t my date. I felt like a complete idiot and explained the misunderstanding. She touched my shoulder, leaned in and said, “Lucky girl. I hope you have a wonderful time.”

I couldn’t believe what I blurted in response, “I’d rather spend the evening with you.” Me, sounding like a bumbling ladies’ man. It was completely out of character.

She laughed and said, “How do you know? There’s a chance I could be a horrible person.”

“I seriously doubt that,” I said and summoned the courage to say, “If there’s any chance of seeing you again, I’ll tell my date that I’ve recently met someone special.”

“You should at least buy her dinner. It would be rude to…”

“So that’s a yes? You’ll see me again?”

She nodded. “Tomorrow night, here, same time?”

It was the beginning of a life with a woman who never ceases to amaze me. In fact, she was the one who found At Rest. It reminds us both of the night we met, the night that we’ll never forget.

- John and Grace, your groupies in Baltimore

About