Happily an Artist

        "Artists of the world, may your many different paths all lead to that infinite Ocean of beauty where wonder becomes awe, exhilaration, unspeakable joy.  May you be guided and inspired.." 

"None can sense more deeply than you artists, ingenious creators of beauty that you are, something of the pathos with which God at the dawn of creation looked upon the work of His hands.  A glimmer of that feeling has shone so often in your eyes when~~~ like the artists of every age~~~captivated by the hidden power of sounds and words, colours and shapes, you have admired the work of your inspiration, sensing in it some echo of the mystery of creation with which God, the sole creator of all things, has wished in some way to associate you." ~~ His Holiness, Pope John Paul II ~~

       The above paragraph was the first paragraph in a letter written April 4th, 1999 by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II to artists. It is both a powerful and sensitive letter.  Also stated in the letter is the following. . . "What is the difference between "creator" and "craftsman"?  The one who creates bestows being itself, he brings something out of nothing~~ex nihilo sui et subiecti, as the Latin puts it~~and this, in the strict sense, is a mode of operation which belongs to the Almighty alone. The craftsman, by contrast, uses something that already exists, to which he gives form and meaning.  This is the mode of operation peculiar to man as made in the image of God."

      A recently written blog post on 2/6/2015, by artist Susan Vignola, "Is Your Art Original?"  had questioned originality in art and what it was...and did it exist.  It brought a lot of comments.  I think writer and artist, Jack White and writer/artist Brian Shermin gave great replies to the question of what originality is.  Actually there were many interesting viewpoints expressed on the topic of Original Art.  What would your comment be? 

    Perhaps all has been done before in one way or another.  We cannot out-do God and his Creation of the world.  He is the Supreme Artist.  At least to those who believe in God.  But, He has bestowed upon artists their "gift" in the arts.  It is our "Artistic Creativity" to share. 

The artist is indeed passionately dedicated to the search for new "ideas" in which he or she can express emotionally that inspiration with love and beauty through their own personal work.

"This is why artists, the more conscious they are of their "gift," are led all the more to see themselves and the whole of creation with eyes able to contemplate and give thanks, and to raise to God a hymn of praise.  This is the only way for them to come to a full understanding of themselves, their vocation and their mission."  ~~ His Holiness, Pope John Paul II 

  The artist has a special vocation.  One that is meant to actualize their productive capacities and to give aesthetic form to ideas conceived in the mind. 

 "In producing a work, artists express themselves to the point where their work becomes a unique disclosure of their own being, of what they are and of how they are what they are.  And there are endless examples of this in human history.  In shaping a masterpiece, the artist not only summons his or her work into being, but also in some way reveals his own personality by means of it.  For him or her, art offers both a new dimension and an exceptional mode of expression for his or her spiritual growth.  Through those works, the artist speaks to others and communicates with them.  The history of art, therefore, is not only a story of works produced but also a story of men and women.  Works of art speak of their authors; they enable us to know their inner life, and they reveal the original contribution which artists offer to the history of culture."

  It is an artistic vocation that is not to be wasted since it is a service to the beauty and goodness in and of the world.  The artist is to rise to that expectation because the world was created with goodness in mind. It is a talent which is meant to bear fruit, to be used to the artists best ability. It is not only an artists gifted vocation, but also a commitment and an obligation.  That artistic vocation is as a painter, a poet, writer, sculptor, architect, musician, actor and so forth is that that "Artistic Talent" is not to be taken lightly.  It is to be developed, not wasted so it can be shared and in some way,  be at service to humanity as a whole.

"Beauty is the visible form of the good."  Plato wrote, "The power of the Good has taken refuge in the nature of the Beautiful."  The artist communicates the relationship with his or her being, truth, beauty and with the good.  "In a very true sense it can be said that beauty is the vocation bestowed on the artist by the creator in the gift of "artistic talent". 

  I think it is important for society to recognize the importance of the artists role in this world.  One can look all around them and see the creative labors and hard work produced by artists throughout history.  Right now, you can look around your room to see.  It is not just the painting hanging on the wall.  It is the design and style of your home, the furniture in your home, the story in the book you have been reading, or the movie that was so compelling, the beautiful musical sounds you may be listening to at this moment, and so much more that comes from the artistic vision of the artist.  

"Society needs artists, just as it needs scientists, technicians, workers, professional people, teachers, fathers and mothers, who ensure the growth of the person and the development of the community by means of that supreme art form which is "the art of education."  Within the vast cultural panorama of each nation, artists have their unique place.  Obedient to their inspiration in creating works both worthwhile and beautiful, they not only enrich the cultural heritage of each nation and of all humanity, but they also render an exceptional social service in favour of the common good."  ~~ His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.

"The particular vocation of individual artists decides the arena in which they serve and points as well to the tasks they must assume, the hard work they must endure and the responsibility they must accept.  Artists who are conscious of all this know too that they must labour without allowing themselves to be driven by the search for empty glory or the craving for cheap popularity, . . . . ." ~~ His Holiness, Pope John Paul II

  The artist is to reach beneath reality's surface and strive to interpret the hidden mystery with his or her artistic intuition going beyond what the senses perceive.  This intuition comes from the depths of the human soul.  The artist has a momentary glimpse of the abyss of the light of the soul. 

The artist searches for meaning of life through their works and that desire to give meaning to their own life.

"All artists experience the unbridgeable gap which lies between the work of their hands, however successful it may be, and the dazzling perfection of the beauty glimpsed in the ardour of the creative moment:  what they manage to express in their painting, their sculpting, their creating is no more than a glimmer of the splendour which flared for a moment before the eyes of their spirt."

and, "I would hope that all artists might receive in abundance the gift of that creative inspiration which is the starting-point of every true work of art." ".......... thus opening the human soul to the sense of the eternal"  ~~  His Holiness, Pope John Paul II

Thank you for reading.

I hope it was inspiring.

Artfully yours,

Sandy