Frida, Diego, Elvis, and Dali Painting

ARTIST AND BEST-SELLING AUTHOR Eden Maxwell is no stranger to adversity—from dodging the death grip of the Grim Reaper’s bony fingers multiple times to fighting his way out of the combat zone of gang warfare on the mean streets. Thirty years ago, with no net, guarantees, or a rich uncle, he gave up the ‘security’ of a promising Fortune 500 fast track position for what would become an unpredictable and daunting journey. With a hunger that could not be satisfied by a life of rote, Eden had bet all on his wanderlust and a disembodied voice that only he could hear: Fitting in is not your mission. Eden had embarked on an odyssey to discover that his dharma, his purpose in life, dwelt in the wellspring of art. On his daunting quest for fulfillment, he had earned a remarkable distinction: for many years, he apprenticed with a great Zen master artist. Today, Eden’s paintings are in private collections worldwide—and his art has been exhibited on both coasts, including the World Trade Center and the Madison Square Garden Museum of Sport. He is the best-selling author of The Magnificent Book of Kites; and his work has been featured in numerous publications, including Popular Science, Omni, MacUser, Art Calendar Magazine, the Drachen Foundation Journal, Adobe Illustrator Wow Book, and the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Eden has been the featured keynote speaker on several national webinars for artists. He chronicles the lessons learned on his dharma adventure of self-discovery in his most recent book—An Artist Empowered. Eden is a longtime supporter of animal rights worldwide.