Can Art Change the World?
I was recently interviewed by Art is Moving and they asked me this question: Is art moving and can it change the world? My answer was this:
"If it's not then I don't know what is and yes....it changes the world every moment of every day. When an artistic idea is born, the world is changed. When it is shared, an energy is created around us and we move and interact within it. Socially, humans interpret the world differently, but within the same context of being artistically natured. Nature itself is art, and as nature evolves, so do we and how we respond to it. Art is so varied, as we all are, but within that variety we share much of the same urges and desires to express ourselves....and art is a natural form of that expression. I may not love, agree with, or find certain forms of art appealing, and some may even be offensive to my personal sensibilities, but as an artist, I can appreciate them for being created and adding to the beautiful collective conscience we all share. It's the sharing that's the key in my opinion. As art is shared, opinions are formed, they develop into beliefs, and the beliefs are then acted upon. It's a lovely system to be a part of, simplistically complicated, but aren't we all?"
I woke up this morning thinking again about that question, reading over my answer, and realizing I was quite content with it. I wouldn't take anything away, but I will share an addition, or should I say, a passion of mine, related to it.
Over the past 9 years I have had the beautiful experience of watching art transform me into the person I am today. When I had to give up teaching, I felt my world had collapsed on itself, and it took me a long time to crawl out from under that belief. Art was something I enjoyed, so I turned to it in hopes that I could find some sanity while my body began to heal. Little did I know that it would become a way of life for me. I had no clue that it would awaken the spirit of creativity within me, I simply thought I would spend some time painting or drawing to take my mind off of the medical nightmares I was living through. And, I am grateful to God that he chose to use art to help heal all those parts of me that were so dark, and there were many.
Living in the light is the way I would prefer to label my days now, and art has been a channel for that light to shine in me and through me. My passion, my dream, is to be able to use that creativity to touch others, to show them that no matter where they are on their journey, that art can be used to make that journey more beautiful. I can't bring myself to simply be an artist for profit. So, in the context of can art change the world: Yes, one person at a time. And when one shares their creativity, their inspiration with another, it lights a fire that can't be extinguished. I hope in my lifetime my actions cause the world to be ablaze with it.
Here are few new pieces I have been working on. I love, love, love it when art tells a story. Shakespeare wrote the play, "Much Ado About Nothing" which I found beautiful and hilarious. I chose that text as my background in this mixed media piece, "Beatrice Pulled A Fast One," because her sharp wit was so fresh and entertaining throughout the play.
Because I am of course, obsessed with doll parts, LOL, I worked with some unconventional doll forms in photography. I would have loved to share this with a class of students and had them write about these "Fruit Beings" and their adventures.
(All Images copyright of the artist)
"If it's not then I don't know what is and yes....it changes the world every moment of every day. When an artistic idea is born, the world is changed. When it is shared, an energy is created around us and we move and interact within it. Socially, humans interpret the world differently, but within the same context of being artistically natured. Nature itself is art, and as nature evolves, so do we and how we respond to it. Art is so varied, as we all are, but within that variety we share much of the same urges and desires to express ourselves....and art is a natural form of that expression. I may not love, agree with, or find certain forms of art appealing, and some may even be offensive to my personal sensibilities, but as an artist, I can appreciate them for being created and adding to the beautiful collective conscience we all share. It's the sharing that's the key in my opinion. As art is shared, opinions are formed, they develop into beliefs, and the beliefs are then acted upon. It's a lovely system to be a part of, simplistically complicated, but aren't we all?"
I woke up this morning thinking again about that question, reading over my answer, and realizing I was quite content with it. I wouldn't take anything away, but I will share an addition, or should I say, a passion of mine, related to it.
Over the past 9 years I have had the beautiful experience of watching art transform me into the person I am today. When I had to give up teaching, I felt my world had collapsed on itself, and it took me a long time to crawl out from under that belief. Art was something I enjoyed, so I turned to it in hopes that I could find some sanity while my body began to heal. Little did I know that it would become a way of life for me. I had no clue that it would awaken the spirit of creativity within me, I simply thought I would spend some time painting or drawing to take my mind off of the medical nightmares I was living through. And, I am grateful to God that he chose to use art to help heal all those parts of me that were so dark, and there were many.
Living in the light is the way I would prefer to label my days now, and art has been a channel for that light to shine in me and through me. My passion, my dream, is to be able to use that creativity to touch others, to show them that no matter where they are on their journey, that art can be used to make that journey more beautiful. I can't bring myself to simply be an artist for profit. So, in the context of can art change the world: Yes, one person at a time. And when one shares their creativity, their inspiration with another, it lights a fire that can't be extinguished. I hope in my lifetime my actions cause the world to be ablaze with it.
Here are few new pieces I have been working on. I love, love, love it when art tells a story. Shakespeare wrote the play, "Much Ado About Nothing" which I found beautiful and hilarious. I chose that text as my background in this mixed media piece, "Beatrice Pulled A Fast One," because her sharp wit was so fresh and entertaining throughout the play.
Because I am of course, obsessed with doll parts, LOL, I worked with some unconventional doll forms in photography. I would have loved to share this with a class of students and had them write about these "Fruit Beings" and their adventures.
(All Images copyright of the artist)