I wanted to reach out to everyone in the middle of this unusual time in which we are thrust.
This event, is a piece of history, and how we cope
will test our discipline and character.
When this started, like many of you I swamped myself with coronavirus
all day all the time, spent on Facebook, and Netflix or television,
overeating and under exercising! It was not very productive and
ultimately debilitating, and depressing. All the things I thought I
would get done I didn't. After wading thru that bad energy, I finally
pulled myself up, and slowly, painfully began to paint. I applaud anyone
who was able to get creative sooner, you are obviously of high energy
and character. I am too sensitive to outside stimulation, and it caused
me some great internal anxiety. I am telling you this, because many of
you are probably experiencing something similar.
This event has become a great disruption to the entire fabric of our lives. Our habits and pleasures are completely upended.
I did learn however that there is a silver lining to this. I learned
that the gift of time here is a blessing, a way to get to know our true
selves. It has forced me to redevelop the lost art of introspection and
meditation. It also taught me that I make a lot of excuses about time
that simply aren't true, that fear and laziness are strong forces. It
also made me appreciate the quiet power of time spent in my studio, the
pleasure of slowly creating something new and of my self. Breaking from
digital media, painting is much more rewarding. It pays dividends over
and over for years to come, where much of the digital media we fill time
with, is temporal stimulation, is easily forgotten and less satisfying,
leading to poor self esteem due to time wasted.
I realized this space suit we call a body, needs care, attention, and
has enemies, one a virus, but two our own self destructive natures. Our
higher self can be reached through the various arts, which is inherently
essential, though lately, not deemed officially so. Try getting through
this without the arts! You soon find out how essential they are!!
I realized one day that there is a connection to this virus and art. It
requires us to pay attention to detail. To see something unseen, or to
see what is actually there, not just what we want to see or thought we
saw. We have to make a connection to cause and effect, where we put our
hands, and the consequences of those actions. Our connections to society
at large has shown us how really connected we are. Like a virus, our
ideas, good or bad, can spread, and take hold, influence or infect
others. How we think or adhere to higher principles of truth and reality
become extraordinarily relevant in this time. I have said to friends,
my religion is the "Art of Appreciation". It is through really
appreciating the many blessings all around us, a flower, a painting, a
friend, light on a tree, a child, a parent, by not taking things for
granted, we truly touch spirituality.
I am overcoming the effects of this virus, and have succeeded in
mutating it into art, a series of efforts to regain my inner strength. I
wish you similar luck with this challenge.
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