Why make art in a world on fire
“So Long; Ode to a Tanager,” 12x12 inches, mixed media on paper
I've been thinking a lot about why I make art... it can feel like an especially frivolous thing to do when the world seems to be falling apart around us (part of me thinks there's something to the doomsday speech and part of me thinks it's always been this bad but it just feels worse because of the internet and our lack of cognitive and emotional ability to take on all the terrible news in the world, but that's a topic for another day). So, if the world is ending, why do I spend my time brushing pigment onto paper?
I mean, you could ask the same question about anything we do… why work jobs, have kids, fall in love, eat, do anything if the world is ending?
One answer falls into the “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die!” camp. We go about our lives because we can’t do anything about the world ending so we should all just carry on and try not to think about it.
Another answer would be that I’m wasting time by whiling away the hours in my studio, I should be out there HELPING people! Doing something practical with my life! Trying to offset my carbon footprint by meticulously washing out my plastic bags for reuse! Reading all the reasons why we’re royally fucked so I can BE INFORMED.
But those are both just shitty ways to exist, either with your head in the sand or trying to fix the world’s problems all by yourself. (Not that helping people or reusing your plastic bags is a bad idea, but you get my meaning).
Here’s the thing: if we’re carrying on at all, whether we’re terrified or ignoring our terror, it belies the fact that we do have some scrap of hope within us, otherwise more of us would, tragically, give up in the final sense of the term. (I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention here that 988 is the suicide and crisis lifeline number).
And, the fact that there is that small scrap of hope in all of us who carry on is extremely good news!
Because it means that a different way to live, one that I think is more honest and way more effective at not only making life more enjoyable for individuals but that also could actually change the world, is accessible to each of us.
One of the most beautiful lessons I took from the 2022 film “Everything, Everywhere, All At Once” is the idea that you can choose to see the good in things. “It’s strategic and necessary. It’s how I learned to survive through everything,” says Wayland. I burst into tears when he spoke those words because it resonated so deeply in my soul. I knew that I had deeply internalized this idea and hearing it out loud from another human just made me feel so connected to every living thing on the planet, and so hopeful that if we could all find a way to tap into that hope that’s inside each of us, things could change for the better.
We each have individual hope that we need to turn into collective hope if we want to have a chance at surviving in this world.
So why do I take the time to make art in the face of despair? To grow hope. To spread joy. To add to the beauty in a world that we are constantly being told is being destroyed and torn down and sullied. I know in my heart that this is my contribution to the good of our species and our home planet. It’s how I know to give back to the planet and community that sustains me and the people I love. And it inspires me to carry on with lightness and joy which makes it so much easier to be in the world.
We all have something good to give, and we all have to recognize with gratitude how much we need each other and this planet in order for each of us to thrive. The world is built on give and take (it’s the Great Circle of Life, Simba) and I believe we are acting out of alignment with ourselves as humans when we only see ourselves as takers or only see ourselves as givers. We all need each other, and we all need your contribution to our collective culture and community.
What is one small way you can change your world for the better? Small things add up into tidal waves of change. Have courage, and hold fast to hope! I’ll be over here playing in my studio, pouring volumes of love, joy, and hope into each mark I make.
“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid.”
― Frederick Buechner
