“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”
Vincent van Gogh
A few days ago, I attended the birthday party of a dear friend celebrating a pivotal milestone in her life. It was an evening of fine food, laughter and shared experiences. I came knowing no-one, and ended with new friends who will continue to add depth to my life. There was one person who I was particularly interested in meeting. To me, she was simply known as “the artist.”
There is something captivating about creative energy. We seek it diligently in the external world, yet are reluctant to look inward to our own feelings and ideas. My question to “the artist” was – how do we recognize the artistic spirit within, if we do not consider ourselves artists? Her reply was simply to surround ourselves with art, music, dance, poetry, literature, colour, architecture. We are all artists simply by recognizing beauty!
I have the Metropolitan Museum of Art Calendar 2014, ready to go January 1st! It seems that we were born to enjoy and love beauty in whatever form it comes to us. Without art, our lives would be greatly diminished. As Vincent van Gogh once wrote to his brother, Theo, “How rich art is, if one can only remember what one has seen, one is never empty of thoughts or truly lonely, never alone.”
ChasingART 
I am enjoying my Christmas gift of “The Art Calendar for 2014. I especially enjoyed the one for January 16. I think it is a tea pot beautifully designed and decorated in blue color.
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I saw that page – spectacular. I am enjoying that 2014 Art Calendar as well.This weekend was Lawrence Kilburn (or Kilbrunn) – Portrait of a Lady. 🙂
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I love the Van Gogh quote, love the Met calendar. Thank you for the beauty you add to my world every time I stop over. You chase the art so I may experience the beauty. Happy New Year!
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Happy Happy Happy New Year! I am looking forward to the blogging adventures in the new year! There is so much beauty and creative spirit in our world that gives us a reason to hope and to continue. I am so glad that we connected and I look forward to our ongoing dialogue.
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I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s response to those who wanted to cut funding for the arts during WWII. “What are we fighting for?”
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I have a feeling that Blogging 2014 will open new areas for exploration of the creative spirit! So glad that we are connected. I’m ready for new adventures!!!!
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Here’s to 2014 chasing art with Rebecca!
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I have to run to keep up with you, my dear friend!!! 🙂 Happy New Year – all the very best to you and yours! Watch out for those rattlers…. 🙂
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Beautiful thoughts, and splendid quotes too!
Art is indissolubly linked to mankind. We definitely need beauty and art in our lives!
But Art needs time to be generated, as well as to be appreciated. And time is something that many people are in lack of nowadays…
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I agree wholeheartedly. Art does take time – time that we believe we do not have. And then there is the thought that we do not have any artistic voice – only a special few can be artists. I have often wondered why we think that our creative efforts are unworthy. Is it false modesty? Is it our desire for perfection? Is it fear of being ridiculed. Whatever the reason, our lives are minimized simply because we do not use our creative talents. 2014 is a fresh new year! Let us make time!!
“Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.” Claude Monet
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living is an art – perhaps artists understand that embracing passion instead of throttling it leads to excellence.
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How well said! In our hope to capture an abundant life, we seem to overwork moments. The Queen’s Christmas Message 2013 spoke about reflection and meditation, which takes a concerted effort in our “busyness.”
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I agree with the Artist. 🙂 Did you get that fabulous calendar from Santa?
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Santa has been my best friend in regard to the Calendars – the first one I received was in 2007! I place the calendar in the front entrance so that the calendar is the first thing I see coming in the door. Makes me feel like I’m being welcomed by an old friend!
BTW, I know that I have mentioned this before, but I really appreciate the way you have given photos from the past a fresh perspective! 🙂
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Thank you. 🙂 So many of my old photos aren’t very good quality. I’m very grateful for photo editing software!
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You have an amazing way of capturing a story in a photo. I am noticing a shift in the way we communicate – more visual, less verbal. Figuring out how to scan in photos from the old slide projector days is my project for 2014. I’m with you on the photo editing software – very grateful to have it! 🙂 🙂
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From one artistic spirit to another; Here’s to beauty and the beautiful MMA Calendar 🙂
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Every day is a special “Art Day.” This weekend (28/29) my 2013 MMA Calendar celebrated Walker Evans, one of the “most influential artists of the twentieth century.
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/evan/hd_evan.htm
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I can see why. Thanks for the link. Happy Art Day, every day.
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🙂 🙂 🙂
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