I am a firm believer in the “Law of Attraction.” I know, it’s almost become a trite social philosophy today, but my life has shown it to be true, nevertheless. What one gives usually comes back in kind. A sour expression elicits negative interaction. A generous soul never seems to want for anything significant. Here’s the thing about artists. In my unscientific way of polling the data, I am pretty convinced that the artists who freely give their work, talent, energy and creativity generously are those who get paid generously. I don’t mean they give their work away free, although some do. I mean they teach, share, advise, critique, encourage and support without expecting anything in return. What an anomaly in such a competitive world. Still, my best artist friends are extremely positive and generous in encouraging and supporting other artists. They create around themselves a world of such generous creative energy that the boundaries of life just constantly seem to expand. I have just finished the John Salminen workshop this week with the Utah Watercolor Society. John and his wife, Kathy, embody this principle to perfection. They gave and gave and gave and the results were dramatic to all who attended.  I can just feel my life about to explode outward and can’t wait to return all that I received to my own art students at Ree Art Studio and Ree’s painting pARTies. 

Pable Picasso has been quoted as saying, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

            How true this is. I often wonder how often people stop to think about how totally important art is in their lives. Just look around the room. Any room. Every single piece of furniture, every appliance, every tool and every common item in sight was once designed by an artist. It was dreamed up, drawn, engineered and finally created into existence by artists, designers and craftsmen or women. All of this before the “real art” such as murals and hangings and paintings ended up on the walls and the sculptures and bric-a-brac and accessories were bought and lovingly placed.  It’s true that not all people have the “artistic bent” that makes them want to go into an art field but there is not a living soul who does not benefit from some form of art. Perhaps one of our responsibilities as human beings is to help point that fact out to others so that they, too, may feel a sudden swelling in their souls with appreciation for the creativity of others.