How David Lynch Made Me a Better Artist, and a Better Human Being

David Lynch made me a better artist first, then a better person. It began with his films, his unique approach to the language of cinema, his own language, his own rules. That ultimate freedom resulted in an exquisite expression of ideas and dream logic that, despite their lack of definitive meaning, still managed to feel entirely authentic.

As a teenager discovering Lynch, I already aspired to be a filmmaker, but I couldn’t emulate him for a second. It wasn’t my vibe. Yet I loved his films. I watched The Elephant Man so many times.  Why? Then came Lost Highway, so cool, so full of unresolved ideas, yet somehow leaving me satisfied and craving more. Not to mention Twin Peaks, in that same vein. Ultimately, it was Wild at Heart that took the throne. The purity of Sailor and Lula’s love burned through the screen. Their righteousness, their power, their love, this was something to aspire to in my own life. That film didn’t influence my artistic style so much as my personality. It changed how I thought of myself in the world, as if I were a movie character, living with that same kind of righteousness and artfulness. As an artist, Lynch taught me better than anyone what it means to be free, and what it means to truly express yourself, to let your voice out.

At 30, two different friends gifted me the same book: Catching the Big Fish. What a gift it was. Until then, I had little sense of what David Lynch was like as a person. I’d seen pictures and interviews, but he still seemed cryptic, almost as if his nightmarish, dark films must reflect his nature. But from the first words of Catching the Big Fish, his humility, generosity, kindness, humor, and love came through instantly. Simple sentences, simple ideas, short chapters, no big whoop. Just Lynch, giving us all he had with ease, gentleness, and honesty.

In the book, he wrote about Transcendental Meditation, something I wouldn’t learn myself for nearly a decade. But even without practicing TM, his words showed me that to be a great person, you don’t need to force others to take you seriously or pretend to be anything you’re not. You can be completely honest with yourself, and in turn, with others. The way he spoke about his spirituality, his worldview, intelligently, without fear of being misinterpreted, was so liberating. Through his example, I grew not only as an artist but as a person.

David Lynch first made me a better artist, and then a better human being. I can’t think of another artist who has had a greater influence on my life. From cinema to transcendental meditation, he showed me the way to who I am.

Thank you so much, David, for everything you’ve given me. I love you and miss you already. I’ll see you again behind the screen, and far beyond.