Farewells to Moristotle & Co.

By André Duvall
[with a few words from
Billy Charles Duvall]

I cherish knowing that my father and Morris are first cousins and have a great respect and affinity for each other (their mothers, Florine & Stella, respectively, were sisters). I’m blessed to have found myself in the middle of the thoughts and creations of these two amazing souls by way of my contributions to Moristotle & Co. I’m grateful to Morris for his unwavering encouragement, inspiration, and direct but always respectful nudging of my continued engagement with his blog.
    By virtue of that engagement, I’ve recorded the stories behind 31 of my father’s paintings, complete with good-quality images preserved online. Along the way, I’ve had the chance to revisit old stories and images that I remember from childhood, learn new details about images I’ve seen for years, and see paintings and hear stories of which I never knew. I’m so glad all of this can be preserved for any family member to enjoy. I say more about the origins of this project in my very first Father’s Art post. Additionally, I was given the opportunity to share a few of my poems and other writings on occasion.
    Knowing how special this journey has been for me gives me some perspective for how incredibly meaningful this must be for my Dad. Although he is not making his own farewell post, he has shared some words to include with mine. He is a man of few words, but of great import:

Hi, Morris!
    I really appreciate you publishing my art and all the work that involves. It has inspired me to continue painting and also to complete several paintings I started years ago but never finished. I am so glad now I did not throw them away.
    Love to all,
    Billy Charles

In my mind, Moristotle represents the ideal of the Editor-in-Chief. I have never worked with a better editor. I have learned so much from him about writing and clarity simply from the editing process. He is a benevolent editor, respectful of the contributor’s interpretations, striving to preserve what the contributor is trying to say, balancing that benevolence with fine attention to detail, tone, and consistency. I know from reading posts of some of the other blog contributors that others feel the same.
    Along the lines of respectfulness, one of the reasons I admire Morris’ blog is how it values diverse perspectives, meeting people where they are, allowing the spectrum of colors of our human conditions to shine. The blog’s perspective, as if it could be summarized into any single perspective, might be that each contributor has truths to share, based on their own experiences, efforts, talents, and backgrounds. The blog has such a variety of information, reflections, artistic creations, and dialogue, and all from some incredible minds.
    I am nothing short of amazed at Morris’ ability to write insightfully with such speed, detail, and ease. He can explore so many important angles of a topic, as though viewing a sculpture from many sides and shades of lighting, discovering new details from each angle. The “Goines On” vignettes encapsulate much of what I am describing. In addition to tackling weighty topics, they often demonstrate the depth of meaning one can find in observations of seemingly mundane activities of daily life. I would also recommend his 80^th birthday interview, which, in his son Geoffrey’s words, “gives us new insight into his mind and heart.”
    Thank you, Morris, for this legacy. Your retirement is well-earned!
    Love,
    André

Copyright © 2023 by André Duvall & Billy Charles Duvall