Don Tocco says the shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory. And he would know. The donor and mastermind behind the annual competition titled “The Tocco Challenge,” Tocco recently released his first collection of personal artwork.
Tocco published “Art of the Journey” in 2011. The book contains a variety of poetry, sculpture, photographs, and paintings that he has created over the course of his life.
Tocco has been writing poetry since he was a young man, and the collection includes poems, such as “Youth” and “Far Out,” composed as early as 1966. He has been writing and collecting personal poetry since he was 17 years old. He began sculpting only 4 years later, and more recently began to paint and collect photography in 2006.
“I did my first sculpt at 21 years old, and it was more of a way to just kill time because I had time and no money. I took a piece of clay and made a small portrait. Since it turned out well, I got some hope I might have some talent,” Tocco said. “It spoke to my idea that everyone should try what they are interested in because that might be their genius.”
The whole collection speaks to the worth and ability of the individual. Tocco asserts that people must believe in their potential and self worth in order to succeed in life, and this is the aim of his poetry.
“In keeping with the idea of fulfilling God’s intentions and living a rich life, a person must first have a vision, and, once they have established that vision then they have to start benchmarking their activities and efforts to measure the results of their efforts,” he said.
He emphasizes the importance of confidence and taking chances for success.
“You and I are not going to start anything which we have no hope or faith that we can do it. Maybe that thing is going to take a lot of guts, so you’ve got to have the courage to stand alone and say ‘this is what I believe in and I want you to follow and believe in me.’ Without guts and courage we are succumbing to the fear which is the crippler of accomplishment. Only courage overcomes fear.”
“Art of the Journey” also evidences Tocco’s strong respect for accomplishment in the professional as well as private life, as his sculptures portray predominantly accomplished, settled men, who have done notable things for themselves, their families, and their societies.
“If I am to do a sculpt of someone, there are three things that person must fulfill: first, I must know them, second, they must have achieved greatly in their personal lives — whatever that may be, they must have achieved greatly, third, they must have given back to society in a significant way,” he said.
Both his poetry and his sculpture focus on successful individuals, as Tocco expresses a strong respect for people who pursue their interests, or what he dubs “their genius,” and creates something brilliant and positive out of it. He tends to compose his poetry concerning these topics and requires his sculptees to fulfill these standards.
“I think I have been inspired by other poets and by people with important ideas,” he said. “They tend to inspire us, and I think most of theses poems are a self-evaluation more than outside influence. Every great poet is inspired by those that come before him.”
tsawy@hillsdale.edu