They say the key to a relationship is communication, and I believe there’s no better form of communication than art. My husband once wrote me a quirky poem in the shape of a heart that included the sentence “I love you more than Pepsi and Oreos” and I can’t hardly think of something I’ve appreciated more.
Sharing yourself in a creative way gets me like nothing else and there’s an entire population of people desperately trying to connect to others in this way. An artist creating something from their heart and soul and having that message received by someone else is absolutely beautiful.
When I look around my home and see all of the different kinds of art I’ve made and purchased over the years, it tells me a story about not only myself and my life’s experiences, but I feel connected to people I’ve never met in a way that feels deep and authentic. It is the original community of social media.
Sharing yourself in any capacity can be scary and especially in the often permanent form of art that can be shared widely and judged harshly. It is to be expected that what you create won’t be for everybody or even most. Remember, as the creator and the observer, that is the entire point. Every piece of art is a unique point of view and we are looking for community within the world at large.
I’ve known my best friend for 30+ years. We both loved Dirty Dancing and quoted randomly throughout our years of friendship the line from the movie, “I carried a watermelon.” I can’t even tell you what it meant to us, but it was something that we did. For something that doesn’t have a lot of meaning in and of itself, it carried a lot of love and history. I bought an art print with a watermelon and that quote on it for her birthday and it’s something that can constantly be a reminder of our friendship and hopefully make her feel loved and known every time she sees it. To me, it signifies a deeper connection that words can’t express. I love to feel known and to know others. Ultimately, isn’t that what we are all seeking? Art is my favorite way to let others know that I see them.
Appreciation of the arts is something I feel passionately about and I hope to keep sharing ways in which you can create, share, and enjoy art in a more meaningful and intentional way. Because I believe everyone is an artist communicating in their own way with the skills and talents they have. To believe everyone is an artist is to believe everyone is worthy of understanding. To believe everyone is worthy of understanding is to build bridges with our eyes and ears, hearts and souls, and listen.