Beauty for the Sake of … Beauty

One day last year, on one of my overseas trips, I came across this amazing ornamented building. I had just spent the day at a national art museum, and as I strolled down the street in the late day golden sun, I came across this astonishing sight.

Can you guess in which city I took this photo?
Try to imagine what purpose this building might have.

Cultures and communities that value art are a wonder, and even if the arts have flourished in that city centuries before, the creativity continues to affect its citizens, its economy, even its politics.

In the case of this Blushing Pink stucco building, with raised Ivory floral and faux architectural embellishments…it is a school in the heart of the city. Can you imagine being a child and attending a school in a building such as this?

Designers, artists and architects over the centuries have dreamed of finding patrons who could share their vision of Beauty. Sometimes, when the stars align and the brilliant creative geniuses live in the same time and place as visionary patrons, great works are created that continue to inspire us long after the players are gone.

Home-grown creative geniuses must be raised to believe that they are truly creative, and that they deserve to share their vision with the world. Prodigies don't spring forth fully-formed, but rather they are nurtured and supported…and often pushed by those who see their potential.

What always amazes me, is the raw emotional power I feel when I see a mammoth work of art that is so exquisite in its details, so vast in its scope, and so heartbreakingly beautiful that it takes your breath away…and brings tears to your eyes.

I have had many of those experiences, sometimes in the expected places (Michelangelo's David, and Sistine Chapel), sometimes when I didn't know what to expect (like the Baptistery Doors in Florence), and sometimes in the most modest and mundane circumstances. (a color plate in a 100 year old book, depicting the costumes and art of a culture that no longer exists)

Whether you go to your local art gallery, or travel halfway around the world to see a famous work of art, be sure to take the time to really "be" with the work. Over the years, there are works in museums that I have returned to again and again, because when I truly take the time to be present with the work, I have a profound experience of connecting with the artist.

These days we are often in such a hurry, being hustled through the "famous works" of a museum, or rushing through rooms of historic artwork, that we totally miss the heart and soul of the work.

Next time you encounter a work of art that moves you, I invite you to consider spending a lengthy period of time with the work, as one would spend time getting to know a new friend. Whether you are looking at an art quilt, an antique patchwork quilt, a painting or a sculpture…the Inner Truth of the work does not reveal itself immediately.

If you are fortunate, you can visit or even live in a community that is experiencing a flourishing of the arts in your lifetime. Even if that is not the case, you can visit communities that have a history of supporting artists (such as our host city in the photo – Barcelona, Spain) and then proceed to build your own creative community and support system in your own hometown.

Bring home the Creative Fire from a museum, an art gallery, or your quilt guild's Show and Tell… and then plant that Passion in your own work.

..sharing your passion for fabric…
Luana