I’ve had the good fortune in my life to mingle with many of her fellow painters as well as my own scientific and literary colleagues. I’ve also known musical composers. One thing all these people share is an embrace of solitude. Not that these are unsociable people. But they practice their craft in solitude. They draw strength from being alone while they create or explore new worlds. They need that aloneness. They have developed the habit of mind to accept and seek out that aloneness. Sometimes, they must push back against their society to get what they need.
