Monday, July 6, 2020

Ten Ways Art Redeems and Uplifts You


Ten Ways Art Redeems and Uplifts You
By John Vassallo

           Each of us has a key that unlocks your inner self, art is that key.*  Art, more specifically, the ability to draw well enough to convincingly portray a unique thought, is something each of us can master. In so doing, it unleashes in a person a sense of self-awareness and freedom. So often I hear the laments of those who say they have no artistic ability.  My experience as a teacher has convinced me otherwise.

           Considering the influence of early exposures to  art classes in elementary school and the significance of proper drawing education makes me sound  the alarm!  I urge everyone with the desire to raise yourself up to a sense of expressive equality with others to return to that time of arrested development many years ago when someone or some occurrence convinced you that you could not draw!!  Learn to see edges, shapes, proportions, contrast, and how these all go together.  Practice! Be persistent. More on this process in a later writing.

          Here are the reasons to start you thinking about turning  (or returning) to art for an uplift in your psyche. Next time I will discuss the five principle components of learning to draw as I taught in community college successfully to many older students who thought they could not master the skill. For now, preview the benefits that are derived from learning to draw and using it in your life:

Reasons to start drawing and creating art:

(1) Release the inner need to express what is meaningful to you and let others know what is going on inside your mind

(2) Every person needs to be acknowledged and art is a way to have people notice you in some visual or tactile manner

(3) Provide a release or pressure valve to safely and effectively reduce the tension and emotional build-up that comes with withholding feelings or undergoing pain

(4) Record experiences and sensations for your family and friends who may appreciate this outward documentation that will extend your longevity in personal terms

(5) Exploration in art leads to personal edification and discovery by concretely displaying ideas that otherwise remain only mental images

(6) Art can generate an identity or brand by which you are recognized and that can energize your future endeavors

(7) The contemplative nature of creating art can provide health benefits not unlike yoga or meditation in reducing blood pressure and providing some distraction from life's issues

(8) Yes, some people make a profit or income from art, but it should be something of value to you before it becomes something worthwhile and of interest to others (in my mind, this should never be a primary reason to create art)

(9) Potentially, creating art can build personal associations, involvement in social situations, interpersonal skills, and in some cases may generate friendships

(10) To those who default to the anecdotal, "I can't draw a straight line" or "All I can draw are stick figures", I say to you that by your very human nature you were meant to create and be productive. You should create art in the same way you engage in other elementary routine acts of daily living. Let yourself live and be a part of the constant creation that is going on around you.

In the "Star Trek" series, Spock could well have said, "Make art and prosper!"

*Note: "Art" in terms of the qualitative performance of self-expression can easily include other forms such as painting, sculpture, poetry, music, etc.  I repeat, "We were meant to create and be productive."



Sunday, June 14, 2020

Art Impacted by a Social Shut-down


Art Impacted by a Social Shut-down
By John Vassallo

As an artist witnessing the many sea-change occurrences of the past year, I am profoundly caught up in the emotional and mental surge of societal and environmental phenomena.  My work has ranged from celebrating the glorious diversity and resilience of nature to the melancholy meandering from one style or media to another looking for a place where my art can establish a beach head for my expression under these unusual circumstances. At times this wandering starts me to wonder if there can be a meaningful way to express what I see.

In the last few years, and in particular during the months of the devastating global corona virus, I have experienced challenges to my daily routines and confrontations based on divisive polarity that seems to permeate our culture now more than ever. Never have I felt the anxiety and contentiousness from others generated by the controversial course of events that have infected our population's collective mental state.

The corona virus has deeply impacted the human psyche, including my own. We have been dealt a literal death blow with an incredible loss of life.  Meanwhile, we are being tested.  Our lives have been forever stung with the reality of a disrupted way of doing business and social interaction.  In fact many businesses have been put out of operation and a backward direction in progress will take some years to recover or convert to some other revised form of commerce.  Art shows, art groups, galleries and other related entities have been included in these casualties.  Social inequities and weaknesses have  been exposed in systems and governing bodies across the globe.

Where do artists and their art fit in?  Answers.  Some have resorted to social media, exhibiting outdoors with social distancing, virtual galleries, and switching to related themes that raise spirits or poke fun at our plight.  Associates and art friends have taken to chat rooms or the latest 'zoom' craze of crowds meeting on a laptop screen. Some have retreated to the sanctuary of the studio or an occasional outdoor plein air excursion.  Political and social disruptions have moved still others to lift their causes to a new level of exposure. Indeed there are many ways that creative types have found and will continue to evolve to meet the challenge of the new normal.

Are there other ways for an artist to go?  I posted on my Facebook business page (naturally) the personal exhortation,  "....start today to build a better tomorrow."  This is where I hope to be directing my response to the ubiquitous shut-down and obstacles it presents everyone. As an artist, I do have "one string to play" in this orchestra, and I will. For my part, I am ramping up my productivity; exploring new media and techniques, and preparing myself to artfully conjure up a new message of hopefulness and awareness with the work I do.  At least, this is where I start. The final question is, how will you respond? Whether an artist or not, your creativity may be the sole source of finding the light in this dark tunnel.

The Best of Life