I don’t want to know a world void of art, or artists for that matter. But I suspect that there is an artist in everyone. And I’ll tell you something else, I am so thankful to know the artist in me, to be an artist, to be trusted to create, to live out loud, to see in color, to be able to know David. Michelangelo’s David is one of the most popular statues ever to be set free. And I say set free because it took Michelangelo some three years to chip and chisel that block of rock which held David captive. As with most great works of art, people asked Michelangelo how he could have created such a masterpiece from a slab of stone. But maybe Michelangelo never focused on the stone, I suspect that he knew David, that he herd his call from inside the stone and then set about to remove the excess stone so David could escape. And, I suspect that it is true with all artists, they don't see an empty canvass or slab of stone or even a blank page. They see the immagine del cour, or the finished product. And then work backwards to realize the truth of what ever is destined.
So let me ask you this; Do you know David?, Is there a David awaiting you. I have often said of artists that “we reach in to the nothingness and extract tangible things”. But this is what I say. What else can be said of the artist? Julia Cameron, author of the book The Artist’s Way, says“It is my experience, both as an artist, and as a teacher, that when we move out on faith into the act of creation, the universe is able to advance. It is a little like opening the gate at the top of a field irrigation system. Once we remove the blocks, the flow moves in”She goes on to say; “Creativity is God's gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God.” And that, “Our creative dreams and yearnings come from a divine source. As we move toward our dreams, we move toward our divinity.” She calls it an induced or invited spiritual experience. And the good news is that we are all able to do it.
I often think about how crucial art is for children, they in their effort to find themselves and fit in can sometimes be rather cruel. I know it’s true of adults as well, but lets focus on the children. I have been expressing myself artistically sense I was very young, I thank God my parents encouraged it. However, at different times in my development, somebody’s little unhealthy child would attempt to tell me what I wasn’t. Some little nasty boy or girl would try and make me feel less than. And sometimes for a minute it worked, that’s until I remembered my secret.
That I knew David, and knowing David is something that no one could take away from me. Knowing David is what enabled me to get through my adolescent years successfully.
My point is this, art has the ability to sustain you. When you know that you can create something that did not exist before, it develops something within you, that no one can undo. Art is the most exciting way I can imagine to learn about his-story, and ours, as the lives and stories of people throughout the history of the world are seen through art. And think about our modern artist, all of those hand traced turkeys on the refrigerator. Oh, or the stick people drawings, which if you notice, they too, tell the story of the artist. I do suspect that all children, when they are very young, know David. Do you?
So let me ask you this; Do you know David?, Is there a David awaiting you. I have often said of artists that “we reach in to the nothingness and extract tangible things”. But this is what I say. What else can be said of the artist? Julia Cameron, author of the book The Artist’s Way, says“It is my experience, both as an artist, and as a teacher, that when we move out on faith into the act of creation, the universe is able to advance. It is a little like opening the gate at the top of a field irrigation system. Once we remove the blocks, the flow moves in”She goes on to say; “Creativity is God's gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God.” And that, “Our creative dreams and yearnings come from a divine source. As we move toward our dreams, we move toward our divinity.” She calls it an induced or invited spiritual experience. And the good news is that we are all able to do it.
I often think about how crucial art is for children, they in their effort to find themselves and fit in can sometimes be rather cruel. I know it’s true of adults as well, but lets focus on the children. I have been expressing myself artistically sense I was very young, I thank God my parents encouraged it. However, at different times in my development, somebody’s little unhealthy child would attempt to tell me what I wasn’t. Some little nasty boy or girl would try and make me feel less than. And sometimes for a minute it worked, that’s until I remembered my secret.
That I knew David, and knowing David is something that no one could take away from me. Knowing David is what enabled me to get through my adolescent years successfully.
My point is this, art has the ability to sustain you. When you know that you can create something that did not exist before, it develops something within you, that no one can undo. Art is the most exciting way I can imagine to learn about his-story, and ours, as the lives and stories of people throughout the history of the world are seen through art. And think about our modern artist, all of those hand traced turkeys on the refrigerator. Oh, or the stick people drawings, which if you notice, they too, tell the story of the artist. I do suspect that all children, when they are very young, know David. Do you?
If not invite him over and get to know him, for you see this is what I know so far;
The expression of art is as powerful as the art itself. In all of it’s forms, art is a way up, art is a way out, art can literally set you free. Art has the power to transform, to inform, to teach, to heal, to save, to lead, to renew and to inspire. Art speaks. Art tell us where we’ve been and enables us to continue tell of where we are going. And being trusted to create art is a gift that should not be ignored. It is a gift you give to yourself and the world.
Do you know David? He is waiting. Will you set him free?
The expression of art is as powerful as the art itself. In all of it’s forms, art is a way up, art is a way out, art can literally set you free. Art has the power to transform, to inform, to teach, to heal, to save, to lead, to renew and to inspire. Art speaks. Art tell us where we’ve been and enables us to continue tell of where we are going. And being trusted to create art is a gift that should not be ignored. It is a gift you give to yourself and the world.
Do you know David? He is waiting. Will you set him free?
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