One was a Terry Gross interview with Ewan McGregor. She asked him what inspired him to act, and he talked about his uncle. Ewan lived in a rather conservative, lovely little small town in Scotland. His uncle was an actor, a figure of romance, and a breath of fresh air in that rather insular town who brought with him the scent of a wider world. Ewan left his village and went in search of the illusive "something" that he sensed in his artist uncle.
The other program was about a small town in Mexico. I don't remember the name of the town, but it was unusual in that it, too, was an insular little place; but instead of the young people wanting to leave it, they wanted to stay. The reason being that the city band was so popular. Everyone was either in the band, or had been in the band when they were younger, or were waiting to be old enough to be in the band.
The band played all the time, at all the town events. Music teachers and instrument shops make a good living there. There is something for the young folks to do, but more than that, what they get to do is what they love to do: make music.
So here's a young actor leaving his home to seek his art, and young musicians staying home to be where their art is. The common denominator: ART.
Here's what I think: I think the pursuit of an artistic life helps one cope with "ordinary" life. It does this because it encourages one to think more broadly and more creatively, and when you do that your life is filled with choices rather than obligations. Any feelings of being trapped in your life dissappear when you are engaged in the intellectual and emotional freedom that happens when you do your art.
Art gives the gift of hope, because it shows us that life is full of possiblities. We need to understand that in order to live fully and richly. THAT is why we need to encourage the pursuit of art as a priority for our children and ourselves.
What if you're not an artist?
We are all artists. We may not know what our medium is, but there is creative work that we are specifically designed to do. Look for that thing that you get lost in, that when you do it, you don't notice the time passing. That, that right there, that is your art! Do that. Feel free.
Love, Kristine
