Art Starts A Conversation
Slowing down and taking time to look at art starts the flow of deep thinking and feeling. An inquiry begins as we become curious about what inspired the artist and how they made the art. A work of art, rare or ordinary, can be a portal for creative investigation. We are open to seeing and imagining. A conversation starts in the internal and external language of our visual field. One may ask, why did the artist create the art? What attracts attention? Does it tell a story? Is there a creative dialogue?
Observing art invites us to explore ourselves and the world around us. It prompts learning and a desire to discover something yet undiscovered in our view. Art starts a conversation in the heart and mind, and soon the hands and eyes are in motion. The flow of creative mindfulness happens the moment we see visual imagery or when we reflect on it. Observational drawing and writing give form to imagination and ideas. It gives voice to the inner music of free-flowing creativity and invites the elusive muse to show up and sing along. Listen, what do you hear? Is there a call and response? In this conversation, what do you need to express? How do you feel? Now, what is moving in your soul? Say it, do it, be it. Keep the conversation fluid and unconditional.
A local gallery or museum is a place to enjoy art that inspires creative flourishing. Making, viewing, or sharing art are ways to wellness. The healthful benefits of artful looking include creative self-care, mindfulness, and stress reduction. The experience prompts self-reflection and contemplation. The process is personal. It moves us to express what we think and feel and to relate how it relates to us, or not. Art helps us find balance and BE,…and breathe. Sometimes it takes our breath away. As we return to doing loved things, seek places to see art and enjoy visual creative wellness. Visit a museum, access digital art collections, or find an old-fashioned art book with the masters. Art captures a moment and an expression in our collective story and reminds us that we are all interconnected to the beauty and grace in life at every level of human experience.
From an early age, looking at art is a way I’ve informed my artistic point of view. As a teenager in Pittsburgh I attended a scholarship student fine arts program at the Carnegie Museum, an iconic institution with wonderful collections of art and natural history. Our instructor was a venerable professor who taught us to “look to see to remember to enjoy” the ordinary and extraordinary things in life. We were instructed to observe one thing each week and sketch or write about it. As part of the Saturday class, we went to various galleries and sketched what we observed. First, we made small thumbnail sketches and notes about the subject; then created a more detailed drawing with charcoal on newsprint. I remember how much I loved sketching the ancient Greek sculptures and those enormous dinosaur bones in the great hall. I enjoyed this practice of looking, seeing, and recording and, mostly, understanding more about myself and the language of creative potential. The conversation it sparked with the artist in me is still lively, curious, and interesting. “Hello, creativity. Let’s talk”.
Learn more about the author and creative wellness at laura jaquays.com .
