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May 29, 2004
The unfolding of our lives
A beautiful flower is holding its secret in, preparing to burst open, then throwing it’s petals wide, reaching out to the sunshine in a radiant explosion of color and life. It is a celebration of Life and Joy.
During a discussion with some friends it could have seemed like we were talking about art. But art was not really our topic. It sounded like it, but there were underlying secrets ready to open up in our hearts and minds, revealing to us the beauty and joy in life.
For me Art is a process. It is a way of seeing things from different points of view. It is learning techniques and applying tools to achieve a result that is not yet revealed. When I reach the end of the creation process, the painting or other artwork is a wonder to behold for me, yet it no longer has the same meaning for me. Now it expresses a message. It shows the beauty of its design. The finished product is radiant in it’s own way, and people, including myself, get a certain amount of joy from looking at it. Each person can draw their own meaning, value and appreciation from the artwork, just as we look at the beauty of flowers where they bloom or adorn our tables and our windows and desks. We can look at them and appreciate them. It stimulates us.
I give away almost all of my artwork. I create beautifully hand carved spoons for my mother, I dye Ukrainian Easter eggs for my friends and I paint pictures for family and others. But the real joy for me is the process of creating the art. It is the unfolding of the petals to reveal the beauty hidden inside. It is like the process of life.
At first it seemed that we were talking about art, but this conversation was really about struggles that most of us have had in life. It was a process of discovery and finding creative, loving solutions. The beauty of life is revealed in the process of working through the design, finding solutions, applying the tools and techniques we learn. The joy in living really is in the process of living and when we bloom it is an expression of what we are and is a result of what we went through.
Posted by carl1236 at May 29, 2004 9:25 PM