If your reading this blog you know art is important, but do you know why?
As dancer Twyla Tharp once said, “art is the only way to run away without leaving the house.”
The truth of that statement has fluttered about the internet this week as the importance of art once again rises to the surface of our consciousness.
I have long enjoyed the quote and it’s implications to run away or escape into more aptly our own space to really be ourselves and to explore new worlds with colorful doorways to imagination. We can express ourselves,go somewhere, anywhere we like. It’s as if we have Willy Wonka’s world at our beck and call with art. Dream it, create it, see it.
The hard part is that art for the majority, art doing, especially for kids isn’t about their expression, Its often about their exposure to other peoples art, someone else’s expression. When kids do art or view it, they are tuning into the artists way of expressing and not the children’s own. Art is wonderful to appreciate and learn about but it’s most nurturing when kids and adults are encouraged to create their own art, their own way. Art is important because it transports us to deep places within and spaces that art far out, all while we are sitting or standing in one place. This is where confidence waits to grow and flourish, this is where we, as humans get to feel our wholeness. Art doesn’t have to be a passion to be powerful. It can be subtly revealing things we like and things we don’t. It can help us say what no words can attempt. it can make us feel giggle and mad, all at once.
I sense that we as today’s parents want our kids to feel confident, to lead yet, we direct them, steer them, even control them away from their escapes into self expression.
In part, I built CReATE STUDIO to be an art studio where running away without leaving the space is encouraged. For kids, to dive into their own world of interest, colored just the way they like it to enhance their self regard, confidence and to strengthen their abilities to be resourceful. Our kids deserve the same play in the mud mindsets we had as kids to let ideas unfold into other ideas, bigger ideas for hours on end.
Kids NEED to be creative whether they everything not art. Art is the vehicle of self expression. It helps us honor who we are. Painting with gobs of color until it all turns brown, taping tones of paper together until it becomes a flying carpet on the living room floor, with doodled instruments and secret compartments. It’s all good stuff.
Art is big and broad and free and the perfect way for you to be you and me to be me.
