Think About Art

Last Saturday my mom and I visited some of the stops on the Sylvania Art Walk (and I've been thinking about writing this entry ever since.... It's just taken me this long to finally find the time!). The Art Walk was a wonderful event for both the town of Sylvania and the artists who displayed their wares. I am an aficionado of all kinds of art, and I have a deep respect for the artists. I loved seeing so many talented people and fresh ideas.

The first place we went to was Marcia Derse's studio, as this was of special interest to my mom, a quilter. Marcia Derse has her own fabric line, and some of it is pretty funky--which I like. Several other artists were also housed at this stop, each with her own creative vision. It started me thinking about art and how it spurs us to look at something in a new (or, at least, different) way. Wouldn't life be boring if we all expressed ourselves in the exact same manner or saw things the exact same way?

Creativity is important, and I believe that we are all creative beings. Perhaps for some this creative vision isn't yet realized. I've heard people say that they aren't creative, but, perhaps, those people just haven't found the right medium. Attending an art show with a variety of art has always been inspiring to me. It gets me thinking of new things I could make. Seeing so many kinds of art--fabric, paintings, collage, photography, jewelery, ceramics, glass, etc.--helps a person see different possibilities in life. One artist had 12 canvases and had used a variety of materials to depict the gifts in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas." That work sticks out in my mind not because I liked it (I actually didn't care much for it), but because I thought it was extremely clever. It's the thought process of art that fascinates me.

I like to try to figure out what an artist was thinking when I look at a piece; I want to know what hit the artist in such a way that he or she had to create something. I know I'm not privy to the answers, but I like to imagine anyway.

When you see something you like or read a book you enjoyed, think about asking yourself, "Why? What about this piece made me like it?" Imagine you are seeing what the artist sees. Maybe you'll see other aspects of life differently as well.