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The next time you encounter the concept that art isn’t relevant please stop a moment and consider this.  I read a report that there are 6500 spoken languages in the world.  There are over seven billion one hundred seventy million people to communicate with in the world.  I can communicate with them all.  I can express complex ideas and emotions to each and every one of them. I do not speak 6500 languages.  I need speak only one.  I need speak only the first language we all speak and that, my friends, is the visual language.  

How do you know a baby is about to cry before it actually does?  What do you see a baby’s face do before the audible cry is heard?  Nearly all of us have seen it and most all of us can read facial expressions and predict what is about to happen.  We emote with our faces before our vocal chords get involved.  So an astute observer that is self aware will be able to read things visually.  A person with abundant meaningful life experiences will be better able to connect with a visually communicated concept due to their long list of life references.

I am an artist.  I communicate by creating two dimensional images on paper and canvas and three dimensional images in sculptural media.  If I hone my skills I will communicate effectively and emote my intended messages.  This was recently validated for me when I witnessed people connecting to my art at The Phippen Museum Western Art Show in Prescott, Arizona.

During the show guests visit the artist’s booths and have the opportunity to enjoy a lot of high quality art.  I was honored when my guests spent large amounts of time relating their memories and emotional connections that were sparked by my art.  Two of these encounters were especially significant for me.

One lover of art related so strongly to one of my portraits that she wept.  She sympathized with my imagery and was overcome with emotion.  The portrait was intended to display a Native American man that was tired to the point of surrender.  This art was my attempt  to portray the phenomenon of learned helplessness. Her reaction was validation that I had succeeded.  

The second encounter was even more significant.  I had a guest that I will be forever thankful for.  She spent a respectable amount of time looking at my portrait art and then she initiated a conversation.  She told me that my art was definitely connecting with her more than some of the other artists images.  She focussed on one image and then proceeded to relate to me what her interpretation was of the art I had created. To my amazement she beautifully articulated the complex idea I had intended.  That art had been commissioned by a client that was undergoing a significant life change.  My client wanted to convey the idea of a strong woman that was bravely facing a life of adversity.  These adverse conditions were symbolized by the wind. I had made two different images conveying the same idea.  Knowing I would be able to eventually sell them both I let my client purchase the image she preferred. Both artworks expressed the same idea.  Once again my work was validated by the eloquent description of my guest (a third party observer).  I was further amazed when I discovered my guest was also going through major life changes and that my client and guest shared the same professions! 

I am convinced that these encounters are evidence that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.  Painting.  I am not making a monetary fortune but I am establishing quality human interactions.  I am convinced that an intuitive artist can breach cultural barriers and communicate on a global level.  What could be more relevant than multicultural communication that bridges social and economic barriers?  

The next time you are looking at an image try to let it speak to you.  Avoid the idea that it is just an interesting scene or a decoratively lovely picture.   Look beyond the obvious.  Use your imagination and let it lead you to the solution of the riddle the artist has presented to you.  Tap into your emotions and see if your past life experiences help you to connect to the art. Your life experiences are unique and will let you have a one of a kind relationship to each artwork you observe. You might discover parts of yourself you did not previously know existed.  

Enjoy these artworks by Childe Hassam, Kathe Kollwitz and Norman Rockwell and see how you relate.