 Not long ago my niece asked me why I’ve chosen to pursue art and music throughout my life. Until that moment I don’t know if I had ever consciously reflected on my pursuits, and examined why I’m attracted to those outlets.
My first thought, after a quick pause to register what was just asked of me, was: “What a great question?” Then, I thought for another quick moment, and told her that I wasn’t sure if I totally chose my pursuits in art and music…in many ways those outlets chose me. To me, there is a spiritually that exists in the process of artistic creation. The taking of a concept from nothing more than an idea to a tangible completed piece of work is a bit magical in my opinion. I think what I’m attracted to, in regard to my interest in artistic creation and being an artist, is that when I create my expressions through my art and/or music I’m liberated. Liberated in the sense that there are no rules as to how, when, where, or why I create my expressions. Furthermore, because there are no rules associated with my creations (other than those that may be self-imposed) my mind, spirit, and even body—as I’m often engaging in a physical act of performing, drawing or designing—are free. Something else that I realized that I’m attracted to is that my expressions are unique to me. No one else can create what I create in quite the way I create it—they can try but it will never have exactly what I put into it. I suppose art and music are simply the vehicles of my expression. Those are the God-given outlets I have to realize and make sense of the world I perceive on a daily basis. It’s how I relate to the world and understand, and protect, myself within it. |
