Leo Wells on Commercial Real Estate, Business, and Life

Leo Wells on Authentic Wisdom and Experience

Posted on: 08/04/2010 | Under: Miscellaneous | By: Leo Wells  

I was out of the country for much of July, so it's been some time since I've contributed to my blog. I intend to write about my world travels very soon, but today I would like to share some insights from a more recent trip to Valdosta, GA to visit with my parents.

My father called just a few days ago to tell me that my mother had been admitted to the hospital with a blood infection.  The doctors were able to get the infection under control pretty quickly, but since my parents are both in their 80s, Angie and I thought it would be a good idea to drive down from Atlanta and check out the situation in person.  We ended up spending several hours at the hospital with my parents.

The blessing of the day was not the wonder of modern medicine, although we were relieved to see that my mother was doing well. The real blessing was the opportunity to sit and listen to stories of my parents' early years. They spoke of living through the Great Depression with only a few dollars to last an entire year. They told of my grandfather getting paid half a sack of corn for an entire year of share cropping. They described the log cabin that leaked so badly the babies were put under the kitchen table to keep them dry. And they spoke of young boys going to places they had never heard of to fight a war from which they would never fully recover.

Unfortunately, most of us today are so busy that we rarely take the time to sit and listen to the stories of our elders. These truly fascinating tales of days gone by are rich with the wisdom of their years, and I've found they also help put today's circumstances in sharper perspective. In fact, many of our problems today seem trivial compared to some of the challenges our elders confronted and overcame.  That causes me to feel encouraged, even in the midst of difficult times.

Do you want to be encouraged?  Go talk to a senior citizen.  Better yet, video tape them so you can record their stories for posterity. Not only will you make their day, but I am confident that your life will be blessed as well!

Leo Wells on Art

Posted on: 06/23/2010 | Under: Art | By: Leo Wells  

Let me just say from the outset that I’m no expert when it comes to art. But I enjoy art, and over the years I’ve developed a hobby of collecting it. For me, a work of art doesn’t have to be expensive or critically acclaimed to be appreciated — it just has to be something I enjoy. I’ve actually found some wonderful pieces for as little as $5!

As my wife Angie and I have traveled, we’ve had the joy of supporting artists in more than 25 countries and on four continents, in addition to local artists right here in Georgia.

Through the years, I’ve had the pleasure of displaying many of my favorite works for our employees at Wells Real Estate Funds. I’d also like to share a few with you here on my blog, beginning with a sampling of three very different pieces. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Old Man
Oil on canvas

Norbert Goeneutte, a 19th century French artist and engraver, painted this rare portrait of master artist August Renoir. As the story goes, Renoir typically refused to pose for other artists, but agreed to pose for this painting in return for Goeneutte having posed for him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Untitled #259
Pigment and polymer on canvas

This richly layered abstract painting is by Hawaii-based artist Élan Vital. Vital is probably best known for his life-size sculpture of a humpback whale, on display in Maui’s Ecology Park.

 

 

 

Jaguar Head
Wax, wood, and yarn

I found this colorful Huichol (“wee-chol”) sculpture on a trip to Costa Rica in 2007. The jaguar represents the gates of Heaven to the Huichol, who are said to be the last tribe in North America to have maintained their pre-Columbian traditions.