I was gazing out at my back yard which is decked out in green to celebrate the onset of summer, when it occurred to me -- A lot of what we view as art is sometimes a spiritual thing.
We've all heard the phrase that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think it goes even deeper than that. How many times have you been listening to a classical, instrumental or vocal piece of music and been moved to tears?
It's not a visual thing. It's not something that has to be held in your hands. It's in the spirit.
It always amazes me when a person who is known for having terrible morals can come up with a beautiful piece of art, be it music, painting, or otherwise. It makes me wonder how the spirit gets through the garbage to give them the inspiration for what they do. I find myself having to fight from being judgmental and accept the beauty they are able to create.
There were and are many troubled painters in our world. Some of them were considered masters -- of course after they took their own life. Van Gogh's work is hailed as the pioneer of expressionism. I find only a few of his paintings likable -- Starry Night, and Couples in the Park. I find it sad that so many of these tortured souls found no success in their lifetimes.
George-Pierre Seurat and Paul Signac introduced a whole new style, pointilist. I find this style fascinating, and tedious at the same time. I had a friend in high school that did a full upper body portrait of Bruce Lee in this style -- pen and ink. It took him almost the whole school year.
Perhaps that is part of what we have to ponder as we gaze at the pieces of art they create for us. Sometimes these canvases have more than brush strokes -- sometimes they hold blood and tears, sweat and pain, frustration and illusion.
Being an artist myself, I know that at times I can act spoiled. Fortunately, I have a wonderful husband who takes it in stride and reminds me of what is important in life. My art is only part of me -- and usually only a seasonal thing. It takes a lot for me to paint or draw -- it takes all my concentration. If there was only the worldly view of things, I guess I could easily have become someone who was paranoid and afraid of the dark.
But we have the gospel. We have balance, and I don't live for painting alone. I live with the idea that eternity waits, and so does my talent. I am gifted with a family that loves me, supports me and makes it somewhat easy to balance my talents with every day life. I thank The Lord daily for them.
Return to the Neighborhood.
2 comments:
Excellent point, Gaynell. I have often wondered the same myself. I remember a professor holding up a painting called The Scream and the other called . . . hmmm, can't remember. But it was a Victorian couple running through the park with the blanket held over their heads because it was raining. The professor asked which one I liked. I told him the second as the first was exceedingly ugly. He told me I was naive because both paintings were about adultery. Until he told me I hadn't seen that in the second painting. All that aside, the second was the much better painting. I could have painted the first when I was five and in an ugly mood.
I love to see or hear beautiful things. In my mind it is art if it brings joy or enlightenment. A few years ago my sister and I were in Dublin Ireland and went to the modern art museum. I was disappointed, most were things I could do. But the one that bothered me most was a huge photo of dog pooh. I don't call that art.
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