Dr. Rosenthal finds that the challenges of art are somewhat similar to other challenges he faces in life, including plastic surgery. “ I love the process of creating and of thinking how I’m going to get something done. I have always been of the ilk that if I set my mind to it, I can accomplish it. Even if I don’t know how to do it now, that doesn’t mean that in a week, month or year’s time, I won’t come up with the answer on how to do it.”
“ My artistry is not limited to canvas or a hunk of clay,” Dr. Rosenthal adds. “It’s all in how I view my surroundings, and since I’m uninhibited in my thought process, I can just pick anything up and think, “ why can’t I do this?” “That’s how I approach the art of plastic surgery. All of my procedures are tailored to compliment my patients’ individual needs. I’m using multi-dimensionality when I’m working in clay, wood and stone; when you make a cut in the latter two, you can’t go back again; it’s finished. So you have to contemplate each move four or five times in advance of the first. That’s the way I perform my surgery: I plan it, run through each phase repeatedly and then execute the operation, knowing what I’ll be doing several steps beyond the one I just completed,” he says.
Personal work
“My patients see my art hanging in my office,” Dr. Rosenthal notes,” often they either wish to see additional art pieces or purchase one of them. But I tell them, the only art I ever “sell” is when I “sculpt” upon one my patients.” “To me, working on the human body is really the highest form of art I know”. My art is all unique, each piece is very personal to me, so I couldn’t bear to part with it.” I give away so few things because each piece has a special meaning to me. An exception being a broach I designed and a painting of flowers that I made for my wife Catherine; so she can always have a fresh bouquet at hand. She also has a suede sports coat that I designed and had finished in Mexico,” Dr. Rosenthal explains. Having fun “If I weren’t a Plastic Surgeon, I wouldn’t be a physician”, notes Dr. Rosenthal, whose children’s books, paintings, masks, sculptures and photographs have been the focus of many art shows. “There’s no other field in medicine that would allow me to create, be artistic and inventive. I approach things from many vantage points, I like to reflect a lot, which allows me to care for my patients in a caring and thoughtful manner.” “I am really amazed when someone says you cannot do something. There is always a way to accomplish your goals,” Dr. Rosenthal believes. “ You just have to find the right path in order to reach that end point”. “ It is do-able.”
