Wednesday, August 11, 2010

“You and Art” a poem by William Stafford.

“You and Art” a poem by William Stafford.


I was reaching for something that did not exist. My efforts yielded feelings of exhaustion, disappointment and a sense that I was missing out. What I have learned – and am continuing to learn- is that there is a beautiful perfection in embracing the imperfect.

If we give ourselves permission to get messy, take risks and let go of expectations, we can then create art that is real, raw and even powerful and exciting. The uncovering of truth is enlightening and even spiritual.

When we witness children at play, there is a part of ourselves that resonates with their laughter-a laughter emanating from uninhibited states of freedom, creativity and joy that once came so easily to us, and that we long to connect to.

Play is essential for healthy child development and growth.

The creative process is a form of self-expression replete with experimentation, development of ideas, the practice of techniques and skills and exploration on a variety of levels. Often it is through art that artists attempts to make sense of their experiences and that of the greater world.

We should never stop learning and growing

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