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Life as a Work of Art

(by David Hoffman)

Patrick J. Canavan, profiled over the weekend in this piece from a Hanover, PA newspaper, was a founder of UMBC's art department, and a popular teacher here (see this photo from 1968-1969). As the article makes clear, he also was a strong-willed individual who chose to live on his own terms, carefully avoiding the limelight in order to focus on his art and his family.

I think every life is a work of art, provoking every witness to consider their own choices about how to live. You can develop your life-as-art to reflect your deepest values despite the risks and costs, or you can surrender your canvas to be painted by others in your name.

What lessons do you take from Patrick Canavan's story, and what kind of art will you make?

Co-Create UMBC is a blog for and about UMBC, written by David Hoffman and Craig Berger from the Office of Student Life. Join the Co-Create UMBC group on MyUMBC. Like Co-Create UMBC on Facebook. And follow David and Craig on Twitter. 

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Posted: December 2, 2012, 10:23 PM