There are many things I enjoy, art is one of them. One of my favorite artists is Caravaggio.To me he did a wonderful job with chiaroscuro, a high contrast art. He lived during a time of realism, making art more life like, which I also enjoy.
But here lately I’ve been drawn to impressionist art. It’s not as focused on the art being life like but on creating a picture based more on feel. In impressionism brush strokes are more visible, sometimes vary starkly, which if viewed up close looks like jumbled globs of paint. It’s an art form that is better viewed from a distance, like Monet’s Bouquet of Sunflowers above.
I think I’m liking impressionist art more because I’m finding like rarely is a smooth as realism. Rather, I am finding value in the sometimes harshness of life, and as in impressionist art the individualized harshness can combine together to create a wonderful work of art.
Yet, for all the beauty that is in the final product, each individual stroke is needed. Though one stroke may look completely different from another, though it may stand out, sink in, be in the front or in the back, all are needed. Life is no different, we are each strokes in our community. Some may be brighter than others, some may be the backbone of the flower pedal, some may be a neutral stroke of the wall or table cloth – whatever we are we are needed, there is no complete and final product without all of us. If you’re not part of the community the painting will never be complete.
Think on your place in the community. What brush stroke are you? Are you the bright color in the foreground? Or are you the backbone that holds the bright strokes together? Are you the neutral strokes of the wall that sets the mood for the other strokes? Whatever you are always needed. We all have our place in the community, sometimes we just need perspective to see it.
Attempt it. Chance it. Try it. Get to It!