Fly High, Swim Deep

The signature line of Curt Hillfon, Swedish artist, 1943-

“Whatever you do, do it well,” Curt Hillfon told me. “If you are a bird, fly high. If you are a fish, swim deep.”

This is how he explained the unique signature he signs on all of his paintings and prints.

Curt Hillfon adding his signature to one of his famous prints.

I met Curt Hillfon on a visit to Sweden a few years ago, while visiting our friends Lars and Birget Gruden. Hillfon is a bit of a local celebrity near Lars and Birget’s home town. They took us on a tour of his studio where he and his students hung out.

Hillfon’s studio

For an artist who keeps his door open and welcomes visitors who interrupt with naive questions, Hillfon is remarkably friendly and patient. His English, while not very good, is much better than my Swedish. With Lars assisting in the translation, I asked him what his signature line meant.

He said that it is a reminder that whatever you do in life, you should do well. Look to the birds and the fish for inspiration. A bird can fly and a fish can swim. If you were a bird, you should learn to fly as high as you can. If you are a fish, you should learn to swim as deep as you can. You need to learn what the essences of your life is and do it well.

What a wonderful, simple message to remind yourself to live life to the fullest, “fly high, swim deep.”