WHY STUDY ART ?

creativity, awe & wonder

Creativity enlivens culture through art. There is awe surrounding why we have ideas, and how we choose to express them. And there is a wonder when we encounter art that wakes our souls, created from a mere idea.

Creativity wakes art  >  Art releases wonder  >  Wonder stirs hope.

Art is a process that helps us understand the human condition. Abstract ideas and creativity become touchable artifacts and finished works. Whether the creative process results in the lightness of a paper kite or the heaviness of a marble sculpture, it is worth our while to ponder the transformations. Understanding more about creativity, the language of art, the myriad of art media, and the meaning in the expression of ideas within a work of art, helps us to better comprehend the world around us and the humans that have made it.

To embrace the translation of an idea into substance helps us to better understand ourselves and others. 

Art represents the dreaming of our minds; it may illustrate the forbidden, the ecstatic, the comical, or just the banal subjects of everyday life. Art is part of our existence, and provides a healthy balance of mystery and depth to counter the shallow words and plain numbers of life’s routines. However, sadly, art is often relegated to the sidelines. It may contain the keys to the mystery of life, yet is often dismissed as extra, or for ‘others.’  We must reframe and realize the importance of creativity as a portal to innovation and ready ourselves to be open to what we may encounter. When we are willing to explore, art opens a means to encounter culture. Art opens a pathway to consider what has been before us and what yet may still be revealed within humankind.

Art changes us when we are near artists and creative endeavors. When we consider the translation of ideas into substance, our minds begin to open. As we learn about the myriad kinds of art media and skilled craft processes involved in making art throughout centuries, our personal world starts to grow larger in time and place.

We might make connections with where we live. We might consider the art and craft that has been made in our families. We might believe that we ourselves have something to express and that maybe scribbling in a notebook would release our secret feelings.

When we muster the courage to create art ourselves, as well as consider art of eras past, we open ourselves to our own potential.

We can now feel a more comfortable connection to the rich history of humankind and to our own creative potential for the future.