Dre Hill, modern day renaissance man?
On social media, I introduce myself as an artist, storyteller, and writer. It’s deliberate. Sure, part of it is to establish and differentiate me and my brand, hopefully to help it stick out in your mind. But, also, because I genuinely am those things.
Last week I had the tremendous pleasure of speaking with one of my friends, and mutuals, Tati Richardson on her podcast, Romance in Colour. Tati is an incredible author with a powerful propensity for romance. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading any of her books yet, but they’re all on my TBR. That said, the fact she has made the USA Today Bestseller list speaks for itself. I’ll link to Tati’s website here to give you the opportunity to learn more and fall in love with her like I have. ⬇️ https://www.tatiannarichardson.com
On Tati’s podcast we talked all things poetry, creative expression, and of course romance, as that’s the central theme of the show. You might have even peeped that from the name. I won’t get into all the details of the conversation, but I will say that I did drop some news and some exclusive reveals, so you might want to give it a listen if that’s of interest to you. Or, if you like hearing about the lives of creatives and their processes. Or love poems. Or writers yapping in general. Regardless, I’ll link the episode here for you, feel free to listen.
The conversation really got me thinking though, about the idea of a renaissance man or woman. Someone with broad, expansive interests and who is a master in several areas or modalities. How many of us are members of the renaissance? How many of us could be if we gave in to our budding interests and passions? If we said “to hell with” the routine and mundane and instead decided to go on side quests. What if we picked up all those hobbies instead? Even if they are purely hobbies, pursuits sought after solely for the joy they bring and nothing more. How many of us could shape and carve the world around us more actively?
I don’t have the answer to any of those questions. Maybe I’m not even the person to ask them. In reflecting on my expression and experience as an artist, along with my conversation with Tati, I’m drawn to the idea that we shouldn’t allow anyone to trap us in a box. Not even ourselves. There are no barriers to the depths of your creative expression and what that can look like. Explore vastly, deeply, and experiment in the midst of it all. My love and appreciation to Tati for having me on her show, and my love and appreciation to you for allowing me to ramble, and taking the opportunity to read all of it.
Dre Hill 