“We need art and beauty because survival is insufficient.” Emily St. John Mandel
I’ve been thinking about that quote today and thinking about my responsibility as an artist to create beautiful, delightful, joyous – and even funny – things. Creations that are my own small way of helping myself and other people to live well, to feel and give love, to reach deep down into that playful place of the heart and mind where deep genuine laughs and gracious smiles come from.
Art making is my way of sitting down near the fearful wolf hiding under the mental bed – within myself, within all of us – and reaching out to soothe it, give it a favorite snack and even play with it until it (hopefully) giggles.
Here’s one of my fine art pieces containing a dog – a wolf ‘cousin’ – that is currently at the Caplan Art Designs gallery:
And here’s why I think it important to sit with the wolf…
page from “Dr. Bob’s Emotional Repair Program First Aid Kit” https://store.bookbaby.com/book/dr-bobs-emotional-repair-program-first-aid-kit
6 responses to “art for the wolves”
I am going to show your Wolf story to my kids. It articulates something I have been fumbling to express to them these past two days. Your artwork made me smile which was a generous gift today. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great! I hope you do show it to your kids! You may even be able to print it out from what I posted… if you can’t print it let me know and I’ll send it to you another way. I’m very glad to hear that my artwork made you smile! Thank you!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Sue. I showed them and it prompted a very good discussion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad to hear it! Means I did a good job – lol!! Thanks again!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You did it, Sue! You found a way to use your creative soul to help heal the roiling and rumbling that many of us have struggled with (and will continue to struggle with) because we care so deeply about human rights and the future of our planet.
I have stopped listening to NPR so much and have started to sing and dance a bit more. It’s a matter of mental health at the moment. 😐
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m still working on it all too – and yes I believe it is important to focus on singing, dancing and all the various ways to create beauty and love in the world – ours and everybody’s world! Mental health – YES! In that way we’ll help human rights and the planet everyday – one song, one bit of beauty at a time!
LikeLike