At each home Handsome Husband and I visited to congratulate both the graduate and their parents, we saw familiar paintings on the walls. Beautifully presented in places of honor, some I had painted over 15 years ago. A couple were portraits of the very graduate we were celebrating. ( I’d share the images with you, but they’re old enough that they’re still old-timey photographs.)
I’m happy to say that those paintings looked pretty darned good. Tiny seeds of my current style were there, subtle evidence of the hand of the painter even after all these years. HH and I were deeply touched and pleased that the owners of these paintings still loved them even after a decade of style changes and room re-do’s.
What we artists do is not “just”, as in just a decoration, just something to set off a pretty chair, just our job. It’s something far more mysterious and meaningful, yet difficult to quantify.
The creative act, whether purposeful or not, whether writing, painting or singing, is about tying then to now. It’s about weaving a moment in one life into the heart of another. It is communicating something beyond words and across time. Art in any form is alchemy, changing molecules of paint, voice, fabric or steel into a personal consciousness, a souvenir of sorts.
©2010 Patricia Scarborough "Going Home" 6 x 6" oil
I'm so much more aware of that as a result of the events of the weekend, being a part of the graduating of these fine young folk and seeing them into their new lives.
Happy graduation. Your life's education is just beginning.
5 comments:
Patricia, what an awesome post. I love how you tie your visits to friends to their art collections to the meaning art carries for all of us. Wow! Anyway these words:"The creative act, whether purposeful or not, whether writing, painting or singing, is about tying then to now."--These my dear, are quotable words. They carry so much meaning--great to remember at this time of graduations, performances and weddings. Thank you:)
From someone who writes as beautifully as you, I am honored by your comments, Hannah.
We don't often know how the work of our hands effects others. Witnessing a small part of it this weekend was a moving experience.
Oh! And "Going Home" is enjoying its new home in Madrid, where your creative acts are being deeply enjoyed all the way across the world. :)
Oh crud, those aren't tears...I just got supthin' in my eye...
PH, that means so much to me!!
XOOOOOOO-
It's a double bonus for me - not only do I get to delight in seeing other people enjoy your work as much as I do, but it's so nice to have something of yours (and a little piece of Nebraska) far from home.
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