When I started this blog, I was returning to art for the first time in a decade. Suppressing my fervor to create, had finally come to a boiling point and could no longer be ignored. But I questioned why the urge to create, which had been lost in me for years, returned with such a strike. Feeling useless, I questioned why this “gift” of art is even needed in the world. What does it do for others? How is this contributing to the greater good? What is art’s purpose?
Use your gift to lead you to your purpose, is what I’ve always heard. I think we’re all searching for or expecting some great power to use that will change the world, like a doctor’s quick thinking that can save a life or the bravery of fireman. But life is more complex than that. People are more complex than that.
Over the last 10 years, I have painted as the fever struck me. Exploring my “gift,” searching for the “why” in each brushstroke. Some paintings were intentional, some were pure feeling that demanded to be set free through my paintbrush. Those are the pieces I paid attention to most. Here is what I learned:
What Art Does For Me
I recently took a painting workshop on developing summer greens in trees. There was something the instructor said that didn't sit well with me to the effect of - there is no better way to do this than how I am showing you, trust me. I understand there are rights and wrongs, and techniques are important to refine our skills, but this felt more like a dismissal of artistic voice.
The expression of what I see should not be limited nor have rules put in place around it. Each artist processes an image or an idea in their own unique way. If we all followed this one way of instruction, we would lose the voice of our creations. The unique perspectives and interpretation of how an artist translates their processing onto canvas, is what makes art so meaningful and of course, interesting.
When I paint, I start with what I see. I understand the anatomy and structure of the object of my piece. Then I layer on what I feel when I look at it, that is when it takes new shape. Sometimes the feeling comes out through color, brushstrokes, exaggerated shapes or composition. That part is my voice, more so, my soul. God gave me eyes that are different than the instructors, different than the other students, and each of them different from mine - purposely. None should be suppressed. Without the ability to express myself in this way, I feel trapped. I suppose this is the boiling point that led me back to art after all those years.
I am a quiet observer in the world, who can’t always articulate what I see, or understand what is boiling over within me. The feelings that I can’t express in words, demand to be set free through my paintbrush. Feelings that I can’t even process until I’ve created something that releases it from within. For me, painting is the only outlet that liberates me in this way. When the fever breaks and my piece is finished, I find myself in the most peaceful place, like a calm after the storm. Art repeatedly provides me with this place of refuge that I’m so grateful for.
That is what art does for me. Maybe that’s enough.
What Art Does For Others
I’ve seen art move people. It evokes emotion. It provokes contemplation and deeper thinking. It inspires.
Sometimes that emotion is simply joy. For example, I recently painted a couple of little piggies for a small works exhibit. Whenever I paint small, I want to exaggerate the perspective. In this case, I made the piggy noses the star of the piece, as though they jumped in front of an unsuspecting cameraman. Their playful nature caught the attention of the show patrons. One woman was so tickled by them, she asked me to paint a family of little piggies, one for each member in her household. Seeing the joy and excitement my art brought to others inspired me to keep painting and sprinkle more of that happiness into the world.
Finding Hope is another piece that I’ve reflected on when it comes to purpose. I was hesitant to share it, as it was deeply personal to me. However, seeing it resonate with others was incredibly moving. Conveying emotion through visual art can be a power tool to provide hope and inspiration. Again, people are complex. For some, imagery may be a more accessible means of connecting with a message than words alone. Isn’t art the perfect translator to speak directly to the senses?
We tend to conceal our deepest fears, emotions, and unspoken thoughts. Feelings we are often too timid to voice or acknowledge, even as we long for connection and reassurance that we are not alone. That, to me, is when sharing our art serves its greatest purpose. Our imaginative expression gives voice to the unspoken, resonating with those who need to know they are not alone, including the artist.
Art, my art especially, isn’t saving anyone’s life, but it may stir emotion that one needs to feel, or needs to release. Maybe that’s the purpose, maybe it’s not. But the pursuit is still worthwhile.
What Art Does Beyond Us
As I reflect deeper about the pleasure I get in seeing someone connect and react towards one of my paintings, I think, that must be only half of what God feels when he sees His creation sharing his gifts. Our gifts are his way of working through us.
I know many people struggle to understand God and faith and maybe don't see their talents as a “spiritual gift." The way I see it is, my need to create- which feels like a fire within me that can't be ignored when it's lit - is not of my doing. And that place I go to when I’m painting - where time stands still, I stop thinking and feel transported someplace else - that's not of my doing. And when the fever finally breaks at the end of the painting, I sit back feeling great pleasure in the creation in front of me, surprising even myself with how it came together - that is not just my joy, that is His. Through us, is Him. Whenever I find a space or a platform to share my art with the rest of the world, I’m spreading His love, His joy and my gratitude for this gift of art.
Yorumlar