I have a great appreciation for people who create art. The closest I ever came to creating “art” was as a child carefully coloring within the lines while playing with my coloring books. I loved coloring and eventually began to use my darker colored crayons to outline the images and a lighter shade of the same colored-crayon for the body of the image. My favorite gifts were larger and larger boxes of crayons. My first box had about eight colored crayons and I think the last box I remember having had sixty-four crayons!
Not having the experience of craft-making—except for a few potholders in a summer Bible study and crocheting Afghan throws when I was pregnant—I don’t recall ever having made something that could be called art or craft. My lack of exposure to ways to be creative and perhaps my real lack of talent may be the reason why I hold those who can create art in such high esteem.
I value artists and what they contribute to a world of beauty often, and to imagination all the time. Using what they have learned and their natural talent, it seems to me that they have an advanced level of human intelligence and more courage than those of us who have been too fearful of failure to dig deep enough within ourselves to find the spirit and essence of what we might be capable of doing. In my case, it’s easier to deny any desire to create art than to devote myself to pursuing something that I might fail to achieve.
I think that artists meld their emotions and imagination into the kind of self-expression that is more than aesthetic fulfillment. It is a dedication to a search for truth born out of a passion to create. Artists’ creations speak to that part of humans that craves a shared experience. Through their work, artists help us to bridge the gap between what is and what could be. Their art helps us to focus on the intangibles as well as aid us in seeing the bigger picture.
Self-expression through creative endeavors is a gift to be treasured. I appreciate the artists who make our world more livable and our lives more fulfilling.
August is American Artist Appreciation Month. Let’s thank and celebrate our artists!
Gwen Dungy 