Why art? Why not

Leonardo Da Vinci

Let's talk artsy fartsy, shall we? I'll start by providing a definition for art that'll be sure to shatter your brains with awe! It's brief and quite easy to understand. Here it is.. life is art. That's it! How fun is that? You are being an artist as we speak. Look at you! You may of heard of this definition before but I would love to break it down as to why.

Creating art is a series of decisions that are made through a medium and end up manifesting onto a canvas of sorts. Guess what we do to shape our lives? You got it. We make decisions. Life is our canvas. It's really that simple. We wake up and start a day of deciding things. We decide what to eat, what media to consume, what exercise to preform. So why is creating art any different than say.. grabbing a burger or jumping out of a plane? It really isn't. It seems that it is but's not. If you can make decisions, you can make art. 

So why art? Art is just another way to experience life. It is not the ends to a means. The end is the means. How about that one? You've heard the phrase "it's about the journey not the destination". One of history's ingenious predecessors Leonardo Da Vinci once wrote, "to me it seems that those sciences are vain and full of error which are not born of experience, mother of certainty, first hand experience which in its origins, or means, or end has passed through one of the five senses." Art in this manner is less threatening and more fun to create! On the other hand, when we put an unrealistic expectation on art we create, we might find ourselves disappointed. The unlikelihood of it not turning out how we'd imagine has the potential to frustrate and destroy our idol of it. There's no need to control it. Let it go, let it flow. 

My encouragement to you is to pick up a pencil, paintbrush, a stick or whatever you prefer and just start creating. Put your inner-child back in the driver's seat and let er' rip. Don't sit around thinking to hard about what you want to do. Give yourself permission to not worry about such foolery. Practice having fun. Pay attention to the journey. Be aware of the beauty and glory that fills all in all. And remember, the next time you decide to make a sandwich, pay your bills, or take a left turn on the highway of life.. you are simply being an artist.  

Yours truly,
​Michael J

Da Vinci quote  
Gelb, M. (2004). How to think like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven steps to every day genius. New York: Delta trade paperbacks.

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