Let there be Light in Life- how Art can help you be positive
This past weekend was my last show on the road for a while. The weather was beautiful and the crowds were dense. I was in the Washington DC area, so I had plenty of conversations that had a grumbling undertone. These times seem to be full of anxiety- worry about the political climate, about the general sense of dis-ease. Yet this past weekend was also full of hope. After the grumbling was done there was a lightness as though life is just going to be fine.
I recently came upon an article titled “15 Things the Happy People don’t Do” by Diana Reid. Things like not to forget to dream, or not to be selfish, or most importantly to not allow negativity in their mind. Choosing to be happy is critical in this regard. There is the cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full. I am forever choosing the latter. When I look at my work, I am the one who makes you look at the whimsical, the optimistic, the possibility that there is a light in our life.
However, I sometimes wonder if this is just too trite. As though the sentimental is not deep enough. Yet with the bombardment of negative images that surround us on a daily basis, there just is no way a that the 1/2 full cup can be part of the dialogue. My work, my art, chooses to be looking at the future. A place we can go to that escapes the oppressive place of darkness. In the featured painting, Looking for Fun, this piece is a perfect example of the story of the future. This man walks with purpose and elegance. Choosing to find the fun in his world. Such a great piece that brings nostalgic imagery into a contemporary story.
