ART and life.

As a gal with a BFA... who is no longer doing much of anything fine artsy (except the Art Market this weekend which was a moderate success)... I feel the need to have musings on all things fine and pretty and emotionally stimulating.

As a girl who grew up in a house of science, I respect all that it has to offer and all that it does for our lives. Science, business, politics.... it's all completely crucial to how we live. AND... I'm studying science now... BUT the arts are the WHY in our lives. The ability to create something that makes us think, feel, and emote is what makes us uniquely human. Author Ellen Dissanayake argues that we should be referred to as Homo Aestheticus rather than Homo Sapiens because populations of humans have survived without any understanding of science or complex business or politics, but not a single population of humans has ever existed without some form of art. Art is what defines us.

I stumbled upon this quote today - "If we as citizens do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the alter of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams." -Yann Martel

When science can't be understood, and there is so much disagreement in politics, and we are in a complete economic slump... there is always art. It gives us empathy and understanding. It helps us think outside the box and gives us hope and appreciation for life when we have none. It brings beauty and thought to our lives... if only it were more appreciated.

Those who do not see art, experience it, think about it... they are missing out on such an important part of life! They are missing out on what makes us human - and in that way we might be losing a part of our humanity.

Ok... it's the end of the semester... and I have been studying physiology for far too long (clearly), I had to give art's horn a toot. Go see a dance show.