This may just be a sequence of notes compiled to articulate some thoughts that I feel very strongly about.

Or, this is like a thesis… being presented in the effort to propose to you the necessary journey of discovering just how essential “ART” is to mankind, and why it needs to be not only utilized, but also protected and honored.

I will say this as just a side note for now; I really can’t stand the word “ART”. 

HOWEVER…

TRUE “ART” IS: A creation or expression that bears the image of its creator. (This definition might be complete)

As humans, within our nature is the ability to take in life experiences like growth, love, stories, images, emotions, sounds, thoughts, pain, suffering, relationships… etc, which become stored up piece by piece and assimilated into our beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. All of this contributes to what we might call identity. We are like radio transmitters in the way that these streams of fragmented experiences and information become re-formed and transmitted back out into the world through the ways that we express ourselves in our communication, and how we act, play, dress, fight, work, build… the list goes on.

 I believe this process is the foundation for what shapes our cultures and societies whether we are aware of it or not. And through these expressions, we learn more about  who we are and where we come from. The most beautiful part is what happens when people consciously make the effort to fine tune themselves to these streams that make up our individual identities. We can take these different fragments of ourselves and channel them through every way that we interact with the world. With skillful, creative, and careful tuning, these transmissions become amplified and this… is where we get what many people call The “ARTS”. 

For many years now, the “ARTS” have been thought to be reserved for special people who are particularly gifted to be “ARTists”. But I disagree. 

I believe this is an essential tool that is inherent to Human beings. We all have unique experiences that make up who we are. I believe this ability to process our experiences and share parts of ourselves with one another through various ARTiculated forms of expression, is how we come to know more about the world, about ourselves, about each other, about the history of mankind and our origins.

I believe that this ability is how we come to know more about God.

And THIS is why I can’t stand the word “ART”………..

(And GOD said,

“let us make 

man in our image,

after our likeness”… I think this bears mentioning.)

……….. in our current culture, our understanding of the concept that the word “ART” is associated with, falls incredibly short of providing the full scope of what it is that I’m talking about. It’s almost as though there needs to be a whole new word created. But that is a conversation we will have in the future. 

So. Am I making the case that “ART” is an inherent gift to be utilized by all of mankind? 

And, am I saying that it can be used by any person regardless of talent? 

Well… yes.