The Creative Arts: Life's Inspiration

Today is June! There are only a few more weeks until the actual start of summer, although we all feel like it is summer already.

After my last blog post being a bit of a rant on how art standards have declined over the years, I decided that writing about the reasons art is so important will counterbalance the rant with some sunshine! This blog post is to explain what art means to us as individuals and as a society, how it affects us positively, and why we should continue to put effort into keeping art alive.

Let me start by sharing with you one of my journal entries:

“The sun is shining, and the breeze is a sign of grace amidst the heat. The lake is cool and inviting, and the trees provide redeeming shade from the scorching sun. People are happy, peaceful, friendly.

I sit at the beach as I write this

waiting to be inspired

but the inspiration has already come

there are just no words for it yet.

The bark is a different pattern on each tree. The sun reflects off a different wave with each movement of the water, creating the illusion of sparkles. There's barely a bug, barely a seagull.

There's music playing. What could be better than a day like today?

The inspiration is here; it's now. It's living in the moment - enjoying the good things life gives. So I just sit and am still and soak it all in.

When I think about this world, there is nothing missing. Everything we need is here and everything we want must be here too. YET, I know we are meant for more than earth, more than what is already here; we're meant for more than this life. The things of this earth (and beyond!) are so intricate, so detailed, so complicated, that I am awe- struck and beyond inspired by how it all came to be.”

Think of a time YOU were inspired. What was it that inspired you? The colours, the idea, the uncontrollable feelings that overwhelmed you when you heard/saw/felt/tasted whatever it was? How do you express your inspiration? Chances are, that is your artistic voice. Here’s what I mean: we are all born with a creative tank. ALL of us are artistic. My understanding of this point comes from reading history all the way back to the very beginning. Here’s what’s written:

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)

And also

"So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them."

(Genesis 1: 27)

Therefore, I gather that since we were made in the image of God, and God is creative, then we are all creative too – it’s in our nature just as we are part of the nature He created!

What are the benefits for us when we use our creativity? It's proven that daily creative art improves academic performance, happiness, and self-awareness.* Art shapes who we are as individuals. Art allows us to express ourselves - emotionally, characteristically (as in, personality), and physically.

However, "The arts cannot be learned through occasional or random exposure any more than math or science." [1] It takes skill, determination, natural talent, and PASSION to be quite good. So when someone comes along and scribbles two colours on a canvas and calls it art, it is a dangerous obstruction to our natural creativeness. We're meant to strive for more and the creative tank that we are all born with is crying out "use me! use me! I want to grow!" The more we use our creativity, the more we'll have (like I mentioned in my first post!), benefitting us as individuals since we'll be learning more about ourselves and how to express ourselves through each unique circumstance.

Our creative expression of life circumstances brings us together with other individuals. It becomes easier to share our feelings and experiences with those close to us when we can express it in artistic ways. For example, if I can’t really grasp how I’m feeling at times, I go and I paint (or draw or sculpt or write) and slowly it comes to me and I’m then able to share how I feel with my husband once I’ve pinpointed my own emotions and why I feel the way I do. So not only does it benefit ourselves, but it also benefits others because we learn how to better understand them through the understanding of ourselves, and how to help them through difficult circumstances.

So far, understanding all this leads to understanding why art is so important to our society as well as each individual. When you put a bunch of creative people together, you get CULTURE. Think of how each individual expresses themselves artistically – such as through how they look, their chosen career, and especially personality quirks! Yet even though we are all so different, you can get a sense of cultural pride through fashion, architecture, and food! And using new ideas to better the community is a building block for cultural success.

Therefore, as individuals use their creativity together, a culture is born through artistic expression.

It doesn't just stop there, however. Not only is art important in developing our own self-awareness, or connecting with others emotionally and intellectually, or even in building up our culture through the use of new ideas, it is also a way of giving back to the One who gave us creativity in the first place. I call this one WORSHIP.

When someone gives me a gift, I am always so thankful, and feel I want to give them something back, not out of obligation but out of love and appreciation! This is how I feel with my God. He always gives me creativity, inspiration, and the passion for visual arts. So why would I withhold what I can do (because of Him) from Him? When I create, I create for God. I become spiritually connected with my Maker and become filled with Joy that only He can bring! I create with thanksgiving in my heart, and even on the days I find it hard to be motivated or lack inspiration, I know that my creative tank is just low and that it will be filled again shortly. He knows how much joy that worshiping Him brings me through art.

So there you have it: four main reasons why art is so important! SELF-AWARENESS, RELATIONSHIPS, CULTURE, AND WORSHIP: these, my friends, are what make up what we call LIFE.

(Let this inspire you to keep creating and know that it's not a waste of time, and it's not selfish!)

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* http://artstogrow.tumblr.com/post/18072857530/importance-of-the-visual-arts-in-education

[1] http://www.katyisd.org/dept/finearts/pages/the-importance-of-fine-arts-education-.aspx

#beautyinnature #creativity #Creator #importanceofart #worship #culture #relationships #selfawareness