Today our local art league “the Lexington Art League”, posted a question on Facebook that really made me think ... what would our world, (i.e., homes, offices, hospitals, even our capital’s White House) look like without art?
The question was: "What is the best thing about seeing / experiencing art you've never seen / experienced before??"
I didn’t really answer the question but rather commented on what I thought about what seeing art does to us … my response was: We can always benefit from viewing art or experiencing art events. It's like nutrition for the mind and the creative soul that lies within everyone. Plus, viewing and discussing art soothes the senses and lowers the blood pressure ~ it's healing and therapeutic both to create art as well as viewing/experience art! Thank you LAL for reminding our community the importance of art!
Was I exposed to art as a child? No. My parents never took me to art events, art galleries or even great buildings where art may have been displayed. Was there art in our church … yes, one painting of Jesus. During my childhood, some internal force drove me to sketch, color and paint on any surface I could put my hands on. As a child I would sit by my Mom when she cooked, worked in the garden, etc., and I recall drawing what I saw around me. If she were in the sewing room, I would copy the ladies fashions from clothing patterns. (I still love to old patterns and have quite a collection, that I've collected over the years). Perhaps those earliest memories are what inspired me to study fashion in college and to become a fashion illustrator? Then later as a teenager, I painted the animals around me. We lived on a farm, my brother loved horses and I painted his horses, more than I rode. Had I grown up in a crowded city would I have been an architect?
Regardless, art helps our world be something it wouldn't be otherwise. I am grateful that I live in a city where "art" is appreciated by many and has a thriving culture of artist, musicians and talented writers. There are many wonderful art events, galleries and theaters to experience ART!
