Thank you Kendall F. Person, thepublicblogger for sharing my art in your post The Ten Most Underrated Responsibilities. Among his list of ten, he gives a shout out for the arts.
“7. The Arts– performing, recording, visual & written-word
There is beauty in the arts, that much we all know. But there exist something more indescribable, perhaps magical is the word I search for. The Arts, in their purest form are transcending, immune to polarization, blinded to hate. Born of imagination, a thought, a sound, a vision from the creative right side of the brain, The Arts are conceptualized with the whole world in mind, even if in reality most have limited reach. Many have seen Avatar, quite a few consider the Philadelphia Museum of Art a national treasure, and nearly all have heard of Shakespeare. I am certain – using the Olympiad as a guide – most nations rise when playing their national anthem, and in the United States, when the familiar music plays, and as everyone in earshot hums along in anticipation of the big finish O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave, in those precious few moments, we are all mentally in the same place.”
I am grateful for people like Mr. Person, who understands and values “creatives.” Creatives are those of us who feel more alive when we are adding to the beauty of the world around us. Or, we are processing life and capturing it in some form that others can more readily consume. Creating isn’t for the faint-hearted. It is egregiously undervalued by much of society and yet those of us who are compelled to create, must, even at the risk of being misunderstood.
I love creatives! They are my people and they are the spice of life. I’m going out of a limb here, but I truly feel that ALL people are creative in some way. For some people, in their youth, creativity gets shut down. Their creativity was probably undervalued or another skill got more praise. Other people simply do not see HOW they are creative, so they do not pursue it. My husband is a computer programmer and he is amazingly creative in what he does.
Yet some are creative at a different level and their creativity must be expressed outwardly, somehow. Beth Moore’s saying, “Impression without expression, leads to depression” is my mantra. Although I know, that some create for no-one but themselves—they have great satisfaction creating for creation sake—I cannot relate to that. Others create because they have to and they want to engage others. And others feel called to create and use that to help communicate. I feel called create and impelled to communicate. Honestly stated, I have a strong desire to influence for good.
I am amazed when I see someone come alive because they are creating. Or when I observe someone take a risk and create something for the first time and witness it unlock something deep within them. OR when someone connects with my art and it touches them. Those are moments that bring me profound joy.
Mr. Person understands the value of the arts and building community around them. That is why he wrote:
“Welcome to The Neighborhood—a collision of The Arts, a feast for the Imagination, Literature at an altitude, simply unheard of.”
Yummy.
Most of us creatives need those of you who have an appetite to consume what we have created. Thanks for stopping by my neighborhood to take a look around, and hopefully “we” connect in some way.
Uncovered 