Is Art Purposeful?

The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.~Pablo Picasso

Being an artist can be very difficult, especially if you are looking at it in a purposeful sort of way.  Just being alive is purposeful and certainly taking care of my son with Down’s, although humbling at times, is purposeful.  But, I have to ask myself is creating art “purposeful”?

 Here are some of the responses from my artist friends:

“I often think of how all of the arts have influenced me, taught me, enlightened and delighted me. I would suggest that if just one person is moved to tears, or made more aware of the human condition, or is able to see oneself or the world in a new way, then yes, making art is purposeful to humanity. I bought an abstract painting of water by a local artist, Peter Carolin, and had it hanging in my living room for several years. One day I was standing on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. I found myself looking at a patch of water and noticed the layers and elliptical patches of color intermingling to make a moving tapestry, reflections of the blue sky, white clouds, and the transparent patches that saw through to the yellow sand, and inexplicable patches of green water. I was amazed – it was like Peter’s painting. Although I grew up by the water, I never saw it like this before. I understood at that moment that Peter’s abstract painting had taught me – literally – how to see the world that was so familiar to me in a brand new way. “~Jim Carpenter

“I believe that art serves several purposes beneficial to humanity. First, it is a visceral form of communication. More important, I think, is that art can inspire, invigorate, even calm both viewers and creators. Artists are essential because we are exploring our universe and sharing our explorations in unique ways that can inspire each of us to (hopefully) positive action. There’s also nothing wrong in simply adding more beauty to the world.”~Patricia Vener

“Art has the power:

To give voice to a community

To transcend traditional communication processes

To express community issues and cultural values

To document history

To effect change

To open hearts and minds

To inspire, to motivate, to heal the spirit

To increase economic development

To create and maintain legacies”

Col Mitchell~ said the above so eloquently from a mission statement from Huntsville Art Society

“Art is an articulation of our interaction with nature and one another. Without art, the creative process, which involves both the act of creating and the process of participating (intellectually and emotionally) in the artist’s vision, we would lose our humanity. At its deepest level, art is an expression of both our spirituality and our place in the universe.”~Charles van Heck

 Joseph Campbell believed that the artist is a mystic with a craft that enables the truth to be brought to consciousness.

 Artists are the image-makers, the seers, the prophets, they create new vision and enlighten.  Artists can build-up the human spirit and in turn our culture.

 What is your answer? How is art purposeful for you?

*ART20K footage completed 15,078 square inches

*All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA.   You may purchase through contacting my email jvander51@msn.com or phone (408) 460-7237.  Thank you!