With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas fast approaching, I decided before I got even more busy than I am to quietly walk in my neighborhood and community. As I leisurely strolled through the streets, there were little kids biking, a dad fixing his truck, and a couple putting in a fall garden of colors.
As I continued to walk downtown Main Street, there were lots of people shopping, getting gas for their car and groceries to take home. On another street, I looked through a glass display of various shops selling all kinds of goodies. Among all these shops were a few galleries spotlighting their art and artists.
Going into one of the galleries I found an array of paintings and sculptures displayed that amazed me. Each piece was uniquely crafted and captured my imagination. I wondered what sparked the artist’s idea to create that piece. Was it just a whimsical day that instantly birthed the idea, or was the artist in deep contemplation for months coming up with that idea? No matter the means, I slowly viewed each piece feeling how lucky I was to be able to view works of art I couldn’t even begin to see myself create.
The revelation hit me how very lucky I am to live in my community and in this nation. No matter how we all may be struggling in this tough economic time, what a privilege it is to have this kind of art right down the street. Also, how privileged we are to have a grocery store and gas station just around the corner.
How amazing it is that we take them all for granted and expect them to be there. Envision how it would be if your local grocery store simply disappeared. I realize the grocery store and gas stations are considered essential parts of our lives. Yet, how many of us consider a museum, a gallery, indispensable? More like discretionary?
Consider your community that has the arts in whatever form it comes in…visual, performing, literary. Envision your museum, your local gallery, your performing arts theatre disappearing all at once. Would you miss them? If so, how did they contribute to your life? Here are just a few that came to me while contemplating the creative beauty around me.
- Art helps us see creativity everywhere…in buildings, walkways, thoroughfares, a home, even a gas station, grocery store. . .nature itself.
- Art enhances our quality of life beyond the mindset of just surviving.
- Art gets us in touch with the gifts expressed through the artist.
- Art helps us broaden our perspective on life and gets us thinking outside the box.
- Art reflects life as life reflects art.
- Art is used in therapy to help resolve personal, relational, and community challenges.
- Art draws people together and ignites conversation.
- Art contributes to the economic and cultural vitality of a community.
- Art and architecture go hand-in-hand to offer clarity to a community’s identity and heritage.
Whether you are in a grocery store, gas station, museum, or gallery, look around you. Where do you see art reflected? No matter the space, color, size, location, the creative arts are an integral part of our lives as human beings and community. Take the time to reflect on its impact to your own personal life.
Then get out there and thank your artists for enriching your life and community. By all means, buy their art so they can keep creating for our delight and wellbeing. And if you see that your own grocery store and gas station reflect the arts and contribute to a higher quality of life, even in their architecture, say thank you to them. They too have enriched your life with more than just groceries and gas.
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