essay about loving painting

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On Painting: An Essay by Jim Cogswell

Paint is a living language for me, with grammars and nuances that challenge me beyond any other intellectual or creative pursuit that I have ever experienced.

For some people paint is simply a material, another medium, and a very traditional medium at that. For others it is the Bible — the Holy Writ. Or it is the Constitution. Divine what the Founding Fathers intended and strictly adhere to it, or risk anarchy. For others, it is one minor piece in a complicated art world chess game, a pawn to be moved about in a theoretical construct of art practice. Relevant or irrelevant? Dead or alive?

That is one set of questions that, naively, doesn’t trouble me.

For me, painting as a language and practice is alive and changing all the time.

I study it. I try to keep up with it. I struggle to speak it better. I am thrilled when I hear others speak it well. I love visiting countries where it is spoken. I get excited when I discover someone who is adding another layer to its tapestry of possibilities. And that is happening all the time. Right now. As we speak.

Painting is the magical conjunction of space/​no space; movement in stillness. A balanced experience of absorption and self-awareness. Slow looking.

A painting is both a tangible surface and a perceptual space. Great painters create fluctuating tensions between the experience of seeing surface and depth. The task of doing that well is mammoth.

The territory is well traveled, but the possibilities endless, like this tired language of ours that still manages to produce incisive and ecstatic poetry, the limited chromatic scale that still results in new arrangements of sounds in music, bringing deep feelings into somatic awareness, putting my body in motion, bringing me to tears.

All of it is accomplished within a tight range of restrictions. The restrictions are the source of the poetry and the thrill.

There are many strategies for keeping the viewer in that delicate balance of seeing the painting as both window and surface. Emphasizing paint’s materiality is one of many strategies for calling attention to the physical surface, but that easily can degenerate into gratuitous gesture, the pseudo-heroics of the urgent mark.

A big issue is how to translate the materiality of paint into something that points beyond itself. Allowing the inspirational source itself to provide the gesture while acknowledging the illusion. The tension is the thrill.

Within a painting, color has the capacity to become a noun, one might even say a concept in itself. Color becomes magical and potent when it crosses that threshold from adjective to noun, from quality of thing to thing in itself.

All of these strategies and many more work in tandem with our desire to recognize objects or qualities of experiences, even intangible feelings, within that structure of colored marks on a surface. Those desires are closely tied to our perceptual experiences, ways that the brain is hard wired but also shaped by cultural context, historical exposure.

Looking at a painting is a magnificently dense experience for me. I never tire of it.

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Philosophy & Love

Is love an art, kathleen o’dwyer asks if we can learn how to love, with erich fromm and friends..

“For one human being to love another; that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation” Rainer Maria Rilke.

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it” Jelaluddin Rumi

Love is a universal human phenomenon: we all need to love and to be loved. An acknowledgement of this need is beautifully portrayed by Raymond Carver in his poem ‘Late Fragment’, from Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times :

And did you get what You wanted from this life, even so? I did. And what did you want? To call myself beloved, to feel myself Beloved on the earth

However, love is also a uniquely personal experience which can never be fully articulated. From a philosophical viewpoint, the concept of love raises many questions: What does it mean to love? What is the relationship between love of self and love of others? Is love an instinctive emotion, or is it a decisive and rational commitment? In his best-selling 1956 book The Art of Loving , German philosopher and psychoanalyst Erich Fromm (1900-1980) examines these questions and others relating to love, and he puts forward a strong argument that love is an art which must be developed and practiced with commitment and humility: it requires both knowledge and effort. Fromm provides specific guidelines to help his readers develop the art of loving, and he asserts that “love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence” (p.104, 1995 edition). This assertion carries a strong echo of the words of Sigmund Freud: “Our inborn instincts and the world around us being what they are, I could not but regard that love is no less essential for the survival of the human race than such things as technology” (from The Life Cycle Completed , Erik Erikson, 1998, p.20). Fromm puts forward a theory of love which is demanding, disturbing and challenging. He based it on the contradiction between the prevalent idea that love is natural and spontaneous – and consequently not requiring application or practice – and the incontestable evidence of the failure of love in personal, social and international realms.

The human need for love is rooted in our awareness of our individual separateness and aloneness within the natural and social worlds. This is one of the existential dichotomies which characterize the human condition: “Man is alone and he is related at the same time” (Fromm, Man for Himself , 1947). Many philosophers have addressed this paradoxical aspect of being human, and there has been a general consensus on the essential relationship between well-being, flourishing, even survival, and the experience of loving relationships and friendships. As the Irish poet Brendan Kennelly notes, “the self knows that self is not enough, / the deepest well becomes exhausted” (from Familiar Strangers ). The possibility of love exists within an acknowledgement of this insufficiency.

According to Fromm, aloneness creates an experience of “an unbearable prison” which may be a significant source of anxiety, shame and unhappiness: “The deepest need in man, then, is the need to overcome his separateness, to leave the prison of his aloneness” ( Art , p.8). Therefore, the individual continually reaches out for connection and communication with others; he or she strives to attain the experience of love.

Thus one’s existential aloneness and need for relationship and connection propels the desire for mutuality and intimacy on a variety of levels. However, when this desire is grounded in the belief that one’s fulfilment can be achieved through the devotion and support of another, the emphasis is placed on the experience of being loved rather than on loving , and the loving other is distorted and diminished in order to facilitate this. This need-based motivation is not Fromm’s understanding of love, and it does not answer the problem of human separateness.

Fromm claims that love has been widely misunderstood. According to his interpretation, love “is a relatively rare phenomenon and its place is taken by a number of forms of pseudo-love” ( Art , p.65). For instance, the desire to escape aloneness may be expressed in a passive form of submission or dependence, wherein a person seeks an identity through another. Here, the individual renounces their responsibility and sense of self, and attempts to live through the perceived greatness or strength of the other. This mode of unhealthy relatedness may be experienced at a personal, social, national, even religious level. In all cases, the individual looks to another for the answers to the problems of living, and thus attempts to escape the challenges and demands of freedom and responsibility. There is often simultaneously the practice of domination and control on the part of the perceived more powerful partner. Yet the controlling partner is often equally dependent on the submissive other for the fulfilment of their own desire. Fromm interestingly points out that the two modes of living are frequently exercised by the same individual, submissive or dominating in relation to different people.

Such expressions of ‘love’ are synonymous with certain forms of romantic literature and music. ‘Love’ is cited as the motivation of both parties, based on the assertion that neither can live without the other. In either case, the individual is attempting to dispel the anxieties of aloneness and difference through a symbiotic or co-dependent union which places the focus of creative and productive living on a being outside the self: “for if an individual can force somebody else to serve him, his own need to be productive is increasingly paralyzed” ( Man for Himself , p.64). Fromm describes such a union as ‘fusion without integrity’, and he considers it an immature form of love which is destined to disappointment and failure. Or in the words of W.H. Auden, “Nothing can be loved too much, / but all things can be loved / in the wrong way.”

At the root of such immature expressions of love is a predominantly narcissistic preoccupation with one’s own world, one’s own values, and one’s own needs. This precludes an openness to otherness and difference, and it diminishes the possibility of relationship, and thus of love, through an exclusive reference to one’s own perspective. The person who experiences life through such a narcissistic orientation inevitably views others either as a source of threat and danger, or as a source of usefulness and manipulation. From this perspective, the other – person or world – is not experienced as they are, but rather through the distorting lens of one’s own needs and desires.

In opposition to this naïve, selfish, drive to escape separateness and aloneness, Fromm insists that “paradoxically, the ability to be alone is the condition for the ability to love” ( Art , p.88), and that the ability to experience real love is based on a commitment to the freedom and autonomy of both partners: “Mature love” he writes “is union under the condition of preserving one’s integrity, one’s individuality… In love the paradox occurs that two beings become one and yet remain two” ( Art , p.16). Thus the need for connection is answered through a relatedness which allows us to transcend our separateness without denying us our uniqueness. According to the German poet Rilke, this is the only solution to the dichotomy of separateness and connection. Rilke argues that “even between the closest human beings infinite distances continue to exist, [but] a wonderful living side by side can grow up, if they succeed in loving the distance between them which makes it possible for each to see the other whole and against a wide sky” ( Rilke on Love and Other Difficulties , p.34). Fromm says further that one must reach out to the other with one’s whole being: “Love is possible only if two persons communicate with each other from the centre of their existence” ( Art , p.80).

According to Fromm’s interpretation, real love is motivated by the urge to give and to share rather than by a desire to fulfil one’s own needs or to compensate for one’s inadequacies. This is only possible if the individual is committed to a ‘productive orientation’ towards life, since a productive character is more concerned with giving than with receiving: “For the productive character, giving… is the highest expression of potency. In the very act of giving, I experience my strength, my wealth, my power. This experience of heightened vitality and potency fills me with joy. I experience myself as overflowing, spending, alive, hence as joyous. Giving is more joyous than receiving, not because it is a deprivation, but because in the act of giving lies the expression of my aliveness” ( Art , p.18). However, in order to give, an individual must experience a sense of self, from which to draw that which is given: “What does one person give another? He gives of himself, of the most precious he has, he gives his life … he gives him of his joy, of his interest, of his understanding, of his knowledge, of his humour, of his sadness” ( Art , p.19).

For Fromm, mature love is an act of giving which recognizes the freedom and autonomy of the self and the other, and in this sense, it differs radically from the passive, involuntary phenomenon suggested by the phrase ‘falling in love’. To Fromm there is a “confusion between the initial experience of ‘falling’ in love, and the permanent state of being in love, or as we might better say, ‘standing’ in love” ( Art , p.3). Indeed, Fromm claims that the intensity and excitement which accompanies moments of infatuation is frequently relative to the degree of loneliness and isolation which has been previously experienced. As such, it is commonly followed, sooner or later, by boredom and disappointment. Many thinkers, from Freud to the contemporary philosopher J. David Velleman, also emphasise the blindness of romantic love. In contrast, mature love is an active commitment to and concern for the well-being of that which we love. “Love, experienced thus, is a constant challenge; it is not a resting place, but a moving, growing, working together” ( Art , p.80).

Fromm’s theory of love demands commitment, humility and courage, as well as persistence and hope in the face of inevitable conflicts and difficulties. But how is mature love to be developed and practised? How are the pitfalls of resentment, disappointment and indifference to be avoided, or, at least, constructively managed and overcome? Fromm declares that the art of loving is based on the practice of four essential elements: “care, responsibility, respect and knowledge” ( Art , p.21). These evoke a radically different response than that more commonly associated with romantic or sentimental love.

Care for the other implies a concern for their welfare characterised by our willingness to respond to their physical, emotional and psychological needs. This involves a commitment of time, effort and labour, which means responsibility . However, this commitment to care is tempered with a humility and openness which refrains from any attempt to mould the other to an image or ideal; it does not say ‘I know what is best for you’, but rather respects the autonomy and individuality of the other: “I want the loved person to grow and unfold for his own sake, and in his own ways, and not for the purpose of serving me. If I love the other person, I feel one with him or her, but with him as he is, not as I need him to be as an object for my use” ( Art , p.22). Respect thus implies the absence of exploitation: it allows the other to be, to change and to develop ‘in his own ways’. This requires a commitment to know the other as a separate being, and not merely as a reflection of my own ego. According to Velleman, this loving willingness and ability to see the other as they really are is foregrounded in our willingness to risk self-exposure: “Love disarms our emotional defences; it makes us vulnerable to the other… in suspending our emotional defences, love exposes our sympathy to the needs of the other” ( Self to Self: Selected Essays , 2006, p.95).

Love Variations

Of course, there are many kinds of love: sexual, parental and brotherly love are only some manifestations of the phenomenon, and are motivated by different desires, needs and hopes. But Fromm asserts that the experience of mature love has in all cases a similar foundation and orientation: if a mature attitude to love is being practiced, the other will not be an object to serve my purpose. The converse is also the case: Fromm refers to the various forms of subtle exploitation and manipulation which may be discerned behind the mere appearance or assertion of love. For example, sexual encounters may be primarily motivated by the desire for physical excitement, pleasure and release, or by the urge for domination or submission. In either case, the intimacy experienced is momentary and limited, and the relationship is not characterized by the core elements of care, responsibility, respect and knowledge, but by using the other as a means to an end. Parental love is assumed to be marked by the exercise of unconditional care, concern and devotion, and this is often the case. However, since Freud, we cannot ignore the idea that some parents are sometimes motivated by factors not conducive to the healthy growth of the child. For instance, whatever the reasons, when parental love is offered or withdrawn on conditional terms – obedience, compliance, success, popularity, pleasantness, etc – the child senses that he/she is not loved for his/her self, but only on the condition of being deserving. Psychoanalytic theory explores the lasting impact of such experiences for the resulting adult as the desire for unconditional love remains an unsatisfied craving.

Fromm offers a very interesting analysis of two possible approaches within the parental role. Using the images of ‘milk’ and ‘honey’, Fromm differentiates between a care-focussed love, and one which is imbued with vitality: “Milk is the symbol of the first aspect of love, that of care and affirmation. Honey symbolises the sweetness of life, the love for it, and the happiness in being alive” ( Art , p.39). The ability to give honey-love is dependent on one’s sense of happiness and joyful engagement; hence, it is rarely achieved. The ensuing effect on the child is profound: “Both attitudes have a deep effect on the child’s whole personality; one can distinguish, indeed, among children – and adults – those who got only ‘milk’, and those who got ‘milk and honey’.” ( Art , p.39). Perhaps this suggests a fifth element for Fromm’s list of the basic aspects of mature love. Care, responsibility, respect and knowledge are praiseworthy qualities in the loving person, an expression of a mature and genuine concern for the other; however, is there not a desire for something other than generosity and concern in the experience of love? Is there not a desire for ‘honey’ – for a sense of the lover having joy in the beloved, enjoyment in their very existence? Perhaps this is a necessary addition to Fromm’s already demanding view of love.

The concept of self-love is also a perennial subject of argument from philosophical, psychological and religious perspectives. Analysis ranges over the apparent dichotomy between our obligations to ourselves and to others, as well as interpretations of selfishness, narcissism and self-centeredness. In many cases, the issue rests on the varying interpretations of the phrase. The negative connotations of ‘self-love’ usually emanate from associations with an exclusive and obsessive focus on oneself and one’s world, and a disregard for anything outside this self-contained cosmos. In contrast, the idea of a healthy self-love posits no contradiction between love of self and love of others; rather, the former is seen as an essential starting point for the latter. This is Fromm’s view: “Love of others and love of ourselves are not alternatives. On the contrary, an attitude of love towards themselves will be found in all those who are capable of loving others. Love, in principle, is indivisible as far as the connection between ‘objects’ and one’s own self are concerned” ( Art , p.46). So self-love and love of others are not mutually exclusive, but co-existent. Fromm strengthens this argument by pointing to the distortions which ensue when the conditions of self-love or self-acceptance are not met; the parent who sacrifices everything for their children, the spouse who ‘does not want anything for himself’, the person who ‘lives only for the other’. Fromm discerns such expressions of ‘unselfishness’ as often being façades masking an intense self-centredness and a chronic hostility to life which paralyses one’s ability to love self or others.

Fromm’s claim that love of self and of others is intricately linked, is based on his argument that love for one human being implies a love for all – when I love someone, I love the humanity of that person, therefore, I love the humanity of all persons, including myself: “Love is not primarily a relationship to a specific person: it is an attitude, an orientation of character which determines the relatedness of a person to the world as a whole, not towards one ‘object’ of love” ( Art , p.36). Therefore this theory of love is opposed to exclusivity or partiality. In this sense, Fromm concurs with the concept of universal love. He argues that “if I truly love one person, I love all persons” (p.36).

This idea is rejected by Freud, who points to various historical manifestations of its incongruence, for example, “After St Paul had made universal brotherly love the foundation of his Christian community, the extreme intolerance of Christianity towards those left outside it was an inevitable consequence,” he writes in Civilization and Its Discontents on p.51. Freud’s argument rests on the premise that one cannot love everyone one meets. He also stresses the concrete and practical nature of love over universal theories. Friedrich Nietzsche states the case for that in his typically aphoristic style: “There is not enough love and kindness in the world to permit us to give any of it away to imaginary beings” ( Human, All Too Human ). Interestingly, Freud’s argument against the possibility of universal love echoes Fromm’s thoughts on care and responsibility; but Freud maintains that we cannot exercise these values on a universal scale, and would not choose to do so.

In his analysis of the concept of neighbourly love, contemporary philosopher and psychoanalyst Slavoj Žižek poses the question ‘who is the neighbour?’, and concludes that the injunction to ‘love thy neighbour’ and correlative preaching about universal love, equality and tolerance, are ultimately strategies to avoid encountering the neighbour in all their vulnerability, frailty, obscenity and fallibility: “it is easy to love the idealized figure of a poor, helpless neighbour, the starving African or Indian, for example; in other words, it is easy to love one’s neighbour as long as he stays far enough from us, as long as there is a proper distance separating us. The problem arises at the moment when he comes too near us, when we start to feel his suffocating proximity – at this moment when the neighbour exposes himself to us too much, love can suddenly turn into hatred” ( Enjoy Your Symptom! Jacques Lacan in Hollywood and Out , p.8). Thus the popularity of humanitarian causes lies in their inherent paradox, whereby one can ‘love’ from a distance without getting involved. Žižek offers a pertinent challenge: “‘Love thy neighbour!’ means ‘Love the Muslims!’ OR IT MEANS NOTHING AT ALL!” ( etext ).

Velleman argues that human beings are selective in love because it is not constitutionally possible to know and so to love everybody: “One reason why we love some people rather than others is that we can see into only some of our observable fellow creatures” ( Self to Self , p.107). Our choice of love objects is inevitably limited by our own limitations, but this is not to deny the potential value of others as worthy of love: “We know that those whom we do not happen to love may be just as eligible for love as our own children, spouses, and friends” ( ibid , p.108). Perhaps the resolution of this apparent paradox resides in the humble acknowledgement that every person is worthy of love, but that our ability to love is limited to those whom we choose to know and cherish on a personal level. As Velleman says, “knowing the other is essential to love, and this, in part, points to ‘the partiality of love’: Personal love is… a response to someone with whom we are acquainted. We may admire or envy people of whom we have only heard or read, but we can only love the people we know” ( Self to Self , p.10).

Love Begins and Ends

Fromm’s treatise on the art of loving is provocative and insightful. It exposes the myriad problems associated with the experience of loving and of being loved. It confidently asserts that love is essential to human flourishing and survival, while also highlighting the demands and responsibilities associated with its practice. Is Fromm’s understanding of love idealistic and unrealistic? I leave the final words to Carl Sandburg:

There is a place where love begins and a place where love ends. There is a touch of two hands that foils all dictionaries. There is a look of eyes fierce as a big Bethlehem open hearth furnace or a little green-fire acetylene torch. There are single careless bywords portentous as a big bend in the Mississippi River. Hands, eyes, bywords – out of these love makes battlegrounds and workshops. There is a pair of shoes love wears and the coming is a mystery. There is a warning love sends and the cost of it is never written till long afterward. There are explanations of love in all languages and not one found wiser than this: There is a place where love begins and a place where love ends – and love asks nothing. (‘Explanations of Love’)

© Dr Kathleen O’Dwyer 2011

Kathleen O’Dwyer’s book The Possibility of Love: An Interdisciplinary Analysis (2009) is published by Cambridge Scholars Press. It’s a philosophical investigation into the complex experience of love.

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Why do we paint?

December 12, 2010 Filed Under: Inspiration , My Paintings By Ishrath Humairah 38 Comments

This is the question that often comes to my mind… why do we paint?

What makes you paint? Is it because you took to the brush when you were a kid? Did you see a masterpiece so magnificent that you took to the brush like no tomorrow? Why did you not do something else? Why did we choose to paint over many other options available to express? How do people end up painting, in life? Or is it just the one side dominance of brain?

I am not talking science here. The science of art is neither my area of interest nor my cup of tea, at the moment. There are artists who stress upon how methodical and scientific art is. I may climb to that realm, later in life.

I experience a period of frightening clarity in those moments when nature is so beautiful. I am no longer sure of myself, and the paintings appear as in a dream Vincent van Gogh

What I am more interested now is how art makes you the person that you are – when you paint or when you admire art. I want to know how art starts to speak from within… how art expresses the deep core…. how art translates the messages…. how art works when words fail… and a lot more – for art was when languages were naught. And even today, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Then, is art an urge to express? Is it our failure to master other forms of expression that art gives us the refuge and medium we seek?

Do we artists reject the nuances of language, grammar and words, to express? Do artists want unbridled freedom in expressing and questioning? Do artists want to do something that was never made before? Is this the way we like to be spent? Does making artwork undo the artist? Is art a part of unlearning to enlighten? Does art make us understand the elements better? Does art makes everything simple?

The only time I feel alive is when I’m painting Vincent van Gogh

There are a multitude of emotions that an artist goes through when creating a painting or a sculpture. The joy of seeing ones vision translate with hands, the despair of a wrong brush stroke, the anxiety of using a new color, the confidence of a repeated brushstroke, the tension of a measured stroke, the strain of fine brush work, the stressful judgment of seeing the big picture, the want to create a balance, the stray hair of the brush on canvas, the pace of emotions within, and a lot more….

Art is artist painted. To paint is to show a bit of your soul. Where words fail, colors and strokes convey. Deep seated sub conscious comes to life. It is a way of connecting with your inner self. And more often than not, we remain surprised with what we see.

Like Jerry Fresia said, “we make a mark on the canvas and when we look back, we see something that seemingly was not there a moment ago. And there is that miracle: by virtue of making marks, we have created ourselves a tiny bit more – and we actually can see more, feel more, because we have become more, by that tiny bit”.

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures . Henry Ward Beecher

Sometimes we know what to paint and we begin with it. But as time and colors go by, the outcome is totally different as planned. Sometimes we don’t know what the painting is going to be but start painting anyway… and the outcome is something you had always imagined.

Each painting has its own way of evolving…When the painting is finished, the subject reveals itself . William Baziotes

It is true that once the painting is complete, no matter how much you love it, it is outside of you. All that you held within for that artwork is right in front of your eyes. The entire emotional journey undertaken is right in front of you. A certain part of you has come onto the painting and remains there. Like a child who is born unto you, but is an individual by itself.

It’s not your painting anymore. It stopped being your painting the moment that you finished it. Jeff Melvoin

Art. Love. Truth. The colors to use, the shades to restrain, and the strokes to play with… are what defines the art and his artwork. These, over a period of time become unique to the artist and can never be replicated. If replicated, it remains without soul.

Every artwork created with labour and love, speaks to the person who is meant for it. There are many mass produced paintings, which no matter how beautiful and striking to look at, do not strike a chord anywhere. Try it yourself.

Art that gets produced on a fixed time scale, according to me, is never art. There has to be enough movement of soul for something to be produced. Art cannot be mass produced… until unless lunacy rules.

There are times when a blank canvas can stare at you for a long time and nothing seems to move. The blank canvas remains for a long time to come. And then there are those days when many canvases get consumed in few moments. There is no fixed schedule or timetable to create art.

Body suffers, soul celebrates . To paint is to converse with oneself. I tried to study almond blossoms by Vincent Van Gogh to understand the whys and why not’s of art. As we match his paintings to his life history and the times at which each painting was created, one can sense an immense sense of escape and pleasure of life while at work. Even during his depressing days, the art works seemed to celebrate life. While painting, we live a life within which is much different from what we live outwardly.

Journey of the artists’ art Painting is just another way of keeping a diary. Pablo Picasso

As time goes by, painting chronicles our life. Like a journal – diary, we can see the ups and downs of life and the artists impressions. Of the images that lived within, the medium of expression, the sleight of hand, the madness of work, the evolution of subjects and objects of interest and the things that they always wanted to convey. Like a painter/ author once wrote: “painting is my predilection, my way or tool to evolve, to “know”.

If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface of my paintings and films and me, there I am. There’s nothing behind it. Andy Warhol

When I look back at my drawings and paintings, I see a person so far and distant – that was once me. Now, the style, subject, composition, and fervour have evolved. Should this be called the growth or evolution of the person or the artist? I don’t know. But change is there, well chronicled on the chosen medium of communication – called art. And if someone wants to learn a bit more about the artist, study his art work from the beginning.

Art is not off-the-shelf product. There are some paintings which grow on me after a long time. And this is not because I got used to seeing them.

Once finished and not satisfied with the outcome, I leave it to settle down so that I can come back to it with a better frame of mind and see it in different light or make corrections to it. But more often than not, I end up liking them the way they are – perfectly hung on a perfect wall to dry. They seem to be so much in place and peace that I don’t touch or re-touch them.

It makes me wonder if this is true of the buyers too. Shouldn’t the art lovers be spending enough time with the artwork to decide if it is meant for them?

And when someone does like the artwork so much to buy it, after spending some time with it…. does means a lot to the artist… that the art-lover has experienced something with the creation.

When art gives you hidden lessons or mixed messages, it works. Art that tugs your heart has always been the one that never portrayed the obvious. There is no fun in painting the things what you see around the way they are – within the confined dimensions of space-time. Art is about tasting with your eyes.

I am unable to make any distinction between the feeling I get from life and the way I translate that feeling into painting. Henri Matisse

It is when the artist’s vision or imagination extends/ stretches these constraints that his art starts to talk to you. And then makes you feel comfortable or disturbed. Either way, it has spoken to you.

Thoughts on art… to be continued From healing, struggling, binding to liberating… there are so many facets of art. I would love to hear what my dear artists and creative souls think about it or feel within. I keep thinking about it and would like to know your thoughts.

Please do share… and let the journey continue.

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Your Comments I Love!

October 4, 2020 at 1:01 pm

Perfectly penned down. All my emotions related to my paintings are clearly explained here by the author. Loved this piece ♥️

July 30, 2020 at 3:28 pm

This is absolutely amazing, one of the best pieces i have read about Art. Thankyou so much for sharing and keep up the amazing work

August 13, 2020 at 10:48 pm

Thank you, Shahmeer. Keep wandering by.

May 14, 2019 at 9:11 pm

Wow , it gives clarity to me , why my feelings is different to my painting, the other one was while painting thoughts comes in as if the paint is talking to me …. your words here are realisation why I do paint and in painting you can see your own self …

July 30, 2019 at 4:42 pm

I am glad I could help in some way… though I am still searching for answers.

January 23, 2019 at 2:40 pm

Wow thank you so much you said I could not put into words❤️

August 13, 2020 at 10:51 pm

And I am thankful to you for sharing this.

October 26, 2018 at 6:54 pm

Oh my God! You spoke my mind.. while reading these lines I felt I was repeating them myself. It’s quite hard to believe there’s someone whose mind is just like mine. I’m happy I read you. I’m happy I met another me.

November 28, 2017 at 1:42 am

Great and true thoughts of an Artist!

July 14, 2017 at 7:23 pm

Enjoyed your comments

July 11, 2017 at 9:44 am

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July 2, 2017 at 1:07 am

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June 28, 2017 at 3:55 pm

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March 29, 2017 at 9:22 am

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February 15, 2017 at 4:14 pm

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December 29, 2016 at 5:59 am

I recently did a painting for a client who wanted to gift it to his friend. For this I charged a very small amount. The painting was well received and appreciated, but after a couple of days the client told me, “Dear, you charged me more, why?”

I was depressed and upset thinking whether an artist must also speak for his paintings. This question arised in me “Why do we paint” and I came across your article.

Thanks, I feel rejuvenated. Robin

August 16, 2016 at 2:39 am

Thanks so much for your intuitive thoughts on painting and the creative force in general. The very essence of humanity is bound to creative abstract thought and the arts are bound to express better than any other activity we can engage in.

April 21, 2016 at 4:07 am

Art is our only salvation from the horror of existence. Each painting is like a journal we write, we paint to heal ourself from the things that hurt us so much, things we’re to scared to ever speak about again.

August 29, 2015 at 6:41 am

What a wonderful article! Could you permit me to reblog it on my blog at http://www.tsquarevelu.wordpress.com ?

August 21, 2015 at 2:48 am

Amazing. I felt many you’ve described. Beautifully expressed. Paint yourself. Thanks for this wonderful article.

I will never stop painting. XOXO

May 10, 2014 at 12:30 pm

I could not have said it better. Thank you for writing this. Not only did you describe the creation process and experience of art perfectly but you may have helped lift the block I have had. https://www.facebook.com/DebNicolaisenArtist?ref=hl

April 22, 2014 at 7:20 pm

I truly enjoyed reading this. I see myself in a lot of it. Thanks so much!

March 24, 2014 at 10:04 am

I’ve often wondered why do I paint?….there are already so many talented painters …..why should I waste my time? But I always crave having an art tool in my hand to express my story and vision of the world…ever since a young child I was self rewarded with my visual expression rather than vocal or written words. Expressing shapes , color, stories or creating three dimensional objects is part of my soul.

March 25, 2014 at 4:13 am

Lois: There will always be thousands of artists around. There will be a million artworks surrounding us. They will inspire us and make feel one with common thread of love that ties us all. Art makes us go beyond the realm of the tangible things. There is something inexplicable about art. It is the language that speaks from within. So it shall continue to tell us of the stories from beyond and sagas within. Keep painting.

October 6, 2013 at 2:05 am

Art is my equilibrium. When i paint my soul goes where my body can’t go.

June 10, 2013 at 10:23 am

I feel what I hear in music of course only through the music I can understand, therefore express that in my paintings.

May 25, 2013 at 11:25 pm

To tell you the truth. I paint and draw because (for some reason) I need to be remembered for my art work. I feel like if my Painting and drawings remain here after I’m gone, I’ll somehow remain with them.

January 10, 2012 at 4:03 am

“life is art and art is life”

April 26, 2011 at 1:59 am

My friend Tony R. Whincup, who is considered by many to be one of the World’s best current abstract artist, summed it up by saying that TRUE ORIGINAL ART is created by cutting off the top of your head, leaning over the canvas and allowing your mind, heart and soul to pour out.

February 6, 2011 at 2:20 pm

Hi!Ishrath,u truly spoke how i feel……….beautifully,ur paintings r mesmerizing!!!!!!!

February 8, 2011 at 5:55 am

Sandhya: Thank you for your feedback… and for wandering by 🙂

December 14, 2010 at 5:10 am

To paint, is to live.

So keep painting………..the world will know of your life, your wonderful self, and most of all the emotions through your eyes.

Keep painting……….forever.

Mystic Peace Poet

December 12, 2010 at 5:37 pm

This blog is exactly what I was searching for to describe my expressions of love in my art. Well done. I shared a link to his blog at http://bleditor.com/bledit.php?bleditID=15487

December 13, 2010 at 4:19 am

Dreamer: Dont you think that no matter how much we write…. there is always something unwrittern… that words can never sum up? Keep expressing for there is always a reason. Thanks for wandering by…

December 12, 2010 at 4:45 pm

Clouds wander in the sky, some pregnant with rain, some tremulous in hope, one wanting to drench parched earth to partaken stupor, another seeking to be spent as a dewrop on a leaf blade while damp earth muses nearby. Whatever be , the sky of life knows everything …..When a brush stroke dies a million deaths, the canvas cavorts with the candlelight of clairvoyant creation. There is no reason…Only treason if potential unfullfilled….Whatver be, Keep painting.. As ever and… as always..in all ways…

December 13, 2010 at 4:20 am

Cloudtrance: “Whatever be , the sky of life knows everything”… and yes it does. Every moment is discovery, joy, agony and ecstacy. Yes, I will keep painting… to keep discovering, learning and unlearning.

[…] http://wanderingmist.com/inspiration/why-do-we-paint/ 18/01/2014 […]

[…] : Mystic What : Why do we paint? Tangy : It is rightly said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Mystic is a paint lover and […]

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Reason and Meaning

Philosophical reflections on life, death, and the meaning of life, summary of erich fromm’s, the art of loving.

I previously have written several columns on love but I have not mentioned a small book I read in my early twenties—and the first book I ever gave to my wife—Erich Fromm’s, The Art of Loving . It begins:

Is love an art? Then it requires knowledge and effort. Or is love a pleasant sensation, which to experience is a matter of chance, something one “falls into” if one is lucky? This little book is based on the former premise, while undoubtedly the majority of people today believe it is the latter.

Fromm thought that we misunderstand love for many reasons. First , we see the problem of love as one of being loved rather than one of loving. We try to be richer, more popular, or more attractive instead of learning how to love. Second, we think of love in terms of finding an object to love, rather than of it being a faculty to cultivate. We think it is hard to find someone to love but easy to love, when in fact the opposite is true. (Think of movies where after a long search the lovers finally connect and then the movie ends. But it’s the happily ever after that’s the hard part.) Finally, we don’t distinguish between “falling” in love and what Fromm calls “standing” in love. If two previously isolated people suddenly discover each other it is exhilarating. But such feelings don’t last. Real love involves standing in love; it is an art we learn after years of practice, just as we would learn any other art or skill.

In the end, though loving is difficult to learn and practice, it is most worthwhile and more important than money, fame or power. The mystery of existence reveals itself—if it ever does—through things like relating to nature and productive work but, most of all, through our relationships with other people. Thus to experience the depths of life, we should cultivate the art of loving.

And as for Jane, the original handwritten inscription I wrote in the book is still apropos:

In whose heart I have perceived a great deal of warmth and love …

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9 thoughts on “ summary of erich fromm’s, the art of loving ”.

I would be interested to know the first book your wife ever gave you.

I don’t know and just asked her and she doesn’t know either. But if she had to do it all over again it would probably be something like “How to Be a Good Husband and Not Drive Your Wife Crazy.”

May I know your name author for academic purposes(footnote)?

Dr. John Messerly

Thanks for the comment.

It’s the struggle of my life. To learn to really love or STAND IN LOVE as Fromm said. I’m 75. It’s used to be easy to fall in love or as a friend of mine said a long time ago, to fall in lust. To love is very difficult.

You are correct. Thanks for the comment.

Thank you for your posts, John.

you’re welcome.

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On Art as Love (and everything in between)

When I was a child, my father’s artworks covered all available wall space of our home. He worked mostly with lead pencil, with splashes of oil pastel colour and portions of handwritten text. Many of the drawings involved my mother, naked or half-naked, but as kids we were used to her naked form. Yes — it was the 1970s, and yes — we lived in a hippie enclave. As children, we barely noticed the artworks. Certainly, it did not occur to me that other kids might not have naked drawings of their mother peering down at them from every wall. 

My father did not create these drawings often. Like me, he was a sporadic artist, producing, at most, two drawings a year. They were full scale projects, taking weeks, maybe months to complete. Careful, precise, thoughtful, often dark in tone, deeply personal. Was my father a good artist? Did his work have value? These were never questions that arose. Art in my household was an expression of who you were and what you were going through. As kids, we were encouraged to build skills in order to be capable of this expression, but the expression itself was always central. 

My brother and I drew regularly. Our specialty was birds. I’m not sure what we were saying about ourselves, but birds were manageable. Smallish, colourful. My brother had natural talent — everything he drew looked lifelike, only better. I drew like a child. When my father got home from work, he would inspect our drawings carefully, my mother hovering nearby to intercede if his critique was too harsh. She wanted him to offer encouragement, he wanted us to build our skills. He was equally critical of both of us, even though my brother’s birds were superior. In time, I sensed my drawing skills would never be up to the task and I lost interest, but this central life calling — finding a medium for the expression of self, building skills to create it — remained.        

In his youth my father won a university art prize even though he was studying psychiatry, pipping the art students at the post. I’m sure the win gave him a moment of gratification, though he never mentioned it to me. After my memoir  Staying was released — about the suicide of my sister and father in my adolescence — old friends from my father’s university days got in touch to tell me what they’d known of him. This was when I heard about the prize. Each mentioned my father’s art, some of them sent me printed copies of drawings they still had in their possession, fifty or so years later. People who had not seen him since university, people who had not known that he was dead. I wondered about this young man who had made such a lasting impression. I tried to look at his drawings, adorning the walls of the childhood home I still lived in, with new eyes.     

Mostly, my father drew his portraits from photographs, but sometimes my mother would sit for him. My brother and I were always there, playing in the background, this act of creation just a part of the swirl of life. There are two scenes I remember vividly. One, my mother crouching on the deck, naked from the waist up except for a vest, which was buttonless, and fell open to reveal her breasts. I remember being struck by the pose, which looked particularly difficult to hold, struck by my mother’s willingness to stay still in the pose for so long. But what I remember most strongly is the undercurrent passing between them. The eye contact, the eroticism. I was a child and did not have language for this kind of exchange, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t feel its potency. It hung there between them: a charge. The second scene was even more startling. My father asked my mother to lie naked in the garden, her back arched over a large pillow, hands and feet both resting on the ground, her body in the perfect shape of a rainbow. This was a vulnerable pose, it caught my attention. My father drew my mother as if the pillow was invisible, her body arched there in space. And once he’d drawn her, he sketched a beam of light coming from her vagina, as though she was the creator of all life. What was happening between them? I am acquainted now with the history of men creating art from their lovers’ bodies — of muses and the extractive, abusive quality of this exchange — but that is not what I saw as a child. My father was not creating art to sell or increase his social standing. He was creating art to hang on our walls. My father’s art seemed a reflection of his love, his interest, his desire. I believed the artwork itself captured the essence of both of them. And again, that strange charge between them in the moment of creation. In this jumble of unspoken lessons, I imbibed the sense that art-creation was a shared project. A collaboration. Artist and muse were involved in a dance, both bringing themselves to the end result: the work.  

When I was fifteen, I was taught by an English teacher who was fierce, no-nonsense. Her teaching style was mesmerising but the occasional hard truths she threw our way were as bracing as slaps to the face. I had, from time to time, come across a lone classmate in the hallway quietly crying after receiving her feedback. For an English assignment we were   asked to submit a piece of ‘creative writing’. I knew this meant a story that was made up, but that wasn’t what I wrote. It was supposed to be four handwritten pages, but I turned in ten. I titled it ‘My Sister’. There was plenty of material. When my eighteen-year-old half-sister, Zoe, took her life three years before, she’d left behind a diary of fragmented thoughts that I could not keep away from. When I first read it, at twelve, I’d understood that I was not implicated in my sister’s decision to kill herself, as the diary contained almost no mention of my existence. At twelve I was relieved, but as time went on, I tussled with how someone who had been so monumentally important in my life could have thought so little about me. My absence from Zoe’s diary pained me, but her one throwaway observation about me cut to the quick — ‘Jessie will never mature until she experiences rejection.’ Our entire relationship was encapsulated in that one sentence, as though my sister’s primary goal in regard to me had been to balance out my rejection-free-life. I wrote about this in my ten pages, and about how her suicide was such a final, irrevocable rejection, and I handed them in. I was apprehensive about going so far over the word limit, but the story had seemed to write itself. A few days later I could see my teacher was marking our stories in class. She had assigned us some kind of self-directed learning and she was multitasking. I knew when she got to my story, because she had to flip so many pages. She called me up to her desk at the front of the room. I expected a harsh word about my gross word limit violation. Around me my classmates chattered quietly.

‘Is this true?’ she asked me.

‘Yes.’ I had never been a good liar.  

Her eyes narrowed. I knew I had failed the point of the assignment. I had not made anything up.      

‘It’s very good,’ she said.

She picked up her red pen. A nineteen-out-of-twenty. This was unheard of for this teacher. Sixteen-out-of-twenty was a very high mark. I was stunned, my eyes welled. I had written a story, it felt like my first, about my dead half-sister, and it was  very good . It had not occurred to me that this could be so. That my writing could be an expression of who I was and what I was living and also  very good . Two things happened in that moment: I knew my teacher had seen me, that my heartache had become visible to her, and, after all those years of drawing birds, of never being able to communicate my inner world with any kind of grace, I had found a medium.

I did not write another story for many years. This awareness of my aptitude for capturing life in writing lay dormant. The prevalence of visual art creation in my community was so overpowering, writing-as-art was easy to forget. In high school, the artistic exchange that I had witnessed at home continued unabated. All my girlfriends — those shiny shiny girls — drew and painted and photographed and crafted. We all took turns being artists and muses. The exchange between bodies was so fluid, so dynamic, that the electric charge of creation seemed to be all around us. For birthdays friends would present me with portraits of me, or drawings of the things I loved: leaves, flowers, stones. Me, still terrible at drawing, would grind stones from the creek into paint and decorate their naked bodies, then photograph them, sticking the pictures on my bedroom walls. I once let a friend photograph all the places on my body with rolls of flesh, so she could practice drawing curves. Where were the boys in all this artistic endeavour? I don’t know. I barely remember them. My high school boyfriend never drew me a picture, but he made me a lot of gourmet toast. A few years later, at university, two friends used photographs of my pregnant body as their end-of-year major works. For my baby shower my girlfriends gathered and everyone drew my semi-naked form and gave me their pictures. I have no memory of this being planned, it felt impromptu. But someone had to have thought of paper and someone had to have pencils. When my babies were born, I received drawings of them as gifts which I stuck on the front of their photo albums. Recently, I turned 45 and two friends gave me small artworks they had created of my forest homeplace. I wrote about them, they made pictures for me. Even now, we shift from artist to muse and back again. 

My mother never drew. She never wrote. But she made our clothes, mostly without patterns — freehand — and we tried them on throughout the process so she could get the right fit. She reupholstered our couches, she cooked elaborate meals, she planted our forest and tended it. All these were acts of creation. Like my father’s artworks, they were not made for profit or to increase public standing. When a visitor came, they might comment on my father’s latest drawing, or inspect it, but they were just as likely to comment on my mother’s new couch cover or my new dress. I now know that my family was arranged around the gender norms of the day, but I never assumed that my father was the sole or more important creator. I believed families and friendships involved collaborative creation, and creation was an act, or expression, of love.  

My father never tried to sell his art. He said the pictures were too important to him — he could not part with them. He did get each one expensively framed, and spent time working out where on our walls they might fit. Once framed, a picture — for him — was finished. When is writing finished? In my late twenties I wrote the first draft of what would — fifteen years or so later — become a published book:  Staying . I got several copies of this first draft printed and bound at the local print shop and distributed it among my remaining family. I did not feel that it was finished. For me, publication felt like framing. Except I was sending a book out into the world, not hanging a master copy on my wall. With books there is no master copy, there are only prints. 

‘Publishing a book is such a horror,’ a writer friend messaged me on the eve of the publication of my most recent memoir,  Desire . ‘It’s only marginally less horrific than not publishing a book.’ I laughed out loud, though truer words were never spoken. But why this need for an audience? For this framing, this finish? I spent many years enveloped in silence. Post-suicides, marginalised by complicated grief. It is unsurprising that I might need to be heard. And perhaps my father was fudging when he claimed he could not bear to part with his pictures — perhaps it was the prospect of being critiqued by strangers he found hardest to bear.  

The narrative of  Desire  follows the arc of my last relationship with a dogged intensity. ‘Cole seems to have performed the ultimate act of love in writing this book about the man. Clearly she loved him. And clearly, she has turned that love into a work of art,’ one reviewer wrote, a few weeks after the book   was published. This assertion, coming at the end of the review, startled me with its directness. In truth, I had seen the writing as part of the relationship. On my visits to his city, this man had tended me, much like my mother — cooking, listening, crafting a welcoming home space — and I had created art from what we shared. I was anxious about how my lover would receive my work, but I’d assumed he would understand it to be a contribution, an offering. In the first year after our relationship folded, he expressed a wish to read the book before I sent it to my publisher. But when that time came, he decided he would not. My faith that this offering would be welcome might seem baffling, but, in the context of my life, not so much. Would my lover have read my writing if it was never to be published? If it remained just between us? I cannot know, and, in any case, by that stage there was no ‘us.’ But perhaps writing — banging those keys in a private room — can never involve the collaborate exchange that was present in the art-creation I had grown up around? In writing, there is no eye contact, no shared charge. Perhaps, all along, I had been labouring under a misapprehension. Is this a mea culpa? Since finishing the book, living through the breakdown of the relationship it charts, I have been grappling with why writing a memoir like  Desire  would seem so natural to me. Was it an act of love? Or was it something else entirely?  

My father also drew pictures of me. Sometimes these artworks were collaborative. He would give over a space on the paper to my child-fingers and I would imprint it with my being. My sections of the artwork are usually noted in his handwritten text, so as an adult I can see where I have made a contribution. These pictures are like time capsules. My father’s portraits of my brother and I are the first thing a visitor sees when they walk in my front door. Me, aged five. My brother, aged three. Both of us look soulful, worried even. It’s hard not to see in them an intimation of what was to come. 

Not long ago, one of my father’s artworks, propped on top of a high cupboard, fell off. The glass smashed and the picture itself was newly revealed. I looked at it properly for the first time in years. In the bottom lefthand corner was a sketch of my father’s favourite armchair with a coffee table and a bottle of wine. The midrange of the drawing was a mess of loose pencil sketching, almost scribble, with some oil pastel colour in yellow and pink and peach and green. In this section was a small photograph of me, captioned in my father’s handwriting. Were some of the scribbles mine? This was not noted. In the top lefthand corner was a torn piece of paper, glued on, which was printed with the words: Knut Hanson/ MYSTERIES. Perhaps it was once the title page of that book? Beneath the photograph of me was a self-portrait of my father, in profile, with a deep gash along his face. The caption below the self-portrait was blurred and unreadable. My father had written something and rubbed it out with an eraser. Along the top was written: NOVEMBER 1980/ Photograph of Jessica 3/ Mysteries 1892. And in the bottom righthand corner it said: DEDICATED TO MY BEAUTIFUL GIRL JESSICA. What was I to make of it? 

In the first real story I wrote, about Zoe, my dead half-sister, and how little she had thought about me, I was tussling with the unevenness of love. How someone so significant in my life could have seen me as so inconsequential. I did not know, in writing  Desire , that I was writing the same story. But stories are built, constructed. A writer decides the scope, the parameters. We zoom in on our preoccupations. Stories can never contain everything.       

A baby’s first language is sensate: how safely they are held, the lovingness of the touch. I knew love in that first language. My parents held me gently against their warm animal bodies. I knew care, I knew trust. There are photos of my sister carrying me as a baby, confident, smiling, me settled on her hip. Photos of me snuggled on her lap as a toddler, wrapped in her easy embrace. Photos of her standing behind me the year before her death — hand in my hair, gazing down, her face awash with tenderness. Some things are beyond words, but the body knows. After sex, I would lie along the length of my lover’s body, listening to his heartbeat, his hands resting gently on my back. I knew love in my first language, the language of touch. 

If your loved one is dead to you (or you to them), or (gulp) actually dead, what can you do with this love? Turn your heartache into words, paint a picture, sing a song. A devastating final act — a suicide, a breakup — does not erase all that came before. Your love existed. Declare it! You exist. They existed. I wander my home, the house of my childhood, looking at my dead father’s artworks still hanging on our walls — all his monumental, difficult love. Maybe,  maybe , it is enough? 

Jessie Cole is the author of four books. Her first novel, Darkness on the...

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What does love art mean .

Love art, a captivating and timeless concept, has been a source of fascination for humanity across centuries. It encompasses a rich tapestry of emotions, experiences, and expressions that defy easy definition.

Beyond traditional mediums like painting and sculpture, love art permeates music, literature, dance, and even our daily lives. In this comprehensive exploration, we delve deep into the intricate realm of love art, unraveling its meanings and its profound role in shaping our lives.

The Multifaceted Universe of Love Art

Love art is a boundless spectrum, encompassing an array of emotions and connections. It embraces not only romantic love but also the bonds of family, friendships, self-love, and compassion.

This expansive canvas encourages us to probe the intricacies of these relationships and express them through the prism of creativity. It serves as a powerful conduit for understanding our own emotions and sharing them with others.

Love Art: A Mirror of Time and Culture

Love art is not merely a reflection of individual experiences; it also mirrors the values and ethos of society at large. Over the ages, artists have harnessed their craft to capture love in its myriad forms, from the sensuous sculptures of ancient Greece to the modern-day heart-rending verses of poetry.

Love art serves as a portal, offering glimpses into the ever-evolving attitudes toward intimacy, companionship, and devotion throughout different eras.

A Tale of Transformative Love Art

One poignant narrative underscores the transformative power of love art. In 1921, Frida Kahlo suffered a severe injury in a bus accident that left her in agonizing pain. In the face of adversity, she turned to her art as a means of self-expression.

Through her paintings, Kahlo revealed not only her strength in navigating romantic love for her husband but also the profound wellspring of self-love that empowered her to persevere.

Defining Love Art: A Kaleidoscope of Human Connection

Love art transcends mere expressions of affection and emotion; it serves as a profound manifestation of human connection.

Within its canvas of paintings, sculptures, poems, and music, love art encapsulates the intricate beauty and complexity of love, offering viewers a kaleidoscope of emotions.

Diverse Perspectives of Love Art

Love art defies easy categorization, with each artist infusing their unique perspective into their work. Consequently, love art takes on an array of styles and forms, ranging from celebrating the exuberance of newfound love to delving into the vulnerability and pain inherent in deep connections.

Thus, love art stands as a mirror reflecting the diverse tapestry of human relationships.

Love Art: A Timeless Human Yearning

Spanning cultures and epochs, love art weaves a continuous thread through the tapestry of human history. From ancient cave paintings to modern installations, every era has sought to capture the essence of love in its art.

It serves as a poignant reminder that the innate human desire for love and connection transcends the boundaries of time and differences in culture.

The Enduring Legacy of Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo, a luminary in the world of love art, exemplifies its transformative potential. Her life and tumultuous relationship with Diego Rivera served as a wellspring of inspiration for her captivating artworks.

Through her self-portraits, Kahlo bared her pain, passion, and unwavering love for Rivera, demonstrating the profound impact love art can have on both the artist and the audience.

Tracing the Historical Roots of Love Art

Love art has long been an integral part of human history, with artists employing various creative mediums to express emotions and ideas about love. From paintings and sculptures to poetry and music, it has manifested in diverse forms, celebrating love in all its facets.

Love Art in Ancient Civilizations

Ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians and Greeks employed love art to depict their gods and goddesses, offering a form of worship and celebration of divine aspects.

During the European Renaissance, artists like Michelangelo and Botticelli employed paintings to capture the essence of romantic love, creating enduring masterpieces that continue to captivate the world.

Modern Interpretations of Love Art

In contemporary times, modern artists have broadened the definition of love art, exploring themes like compassion, unity, and human connection.

Frida Kahlo's self-portraits, for instance, served as a powerful medium for expressing her innermost emotions, while Georgia O'Keeffe's "Black Iris III" showcased her deep affection for nature. Love art continues to evolve, reflecting the changing dynamics of love and relationships in contemporary society.

Exploring the Diverse Forms of Love Art

To gain a comprehensive understanding of love art, we must delve into its various forms within the visual arts, performing arts, and literature. Each of these sub-sections contributes distinct perspectives and experiences to the portrayal of love in the realm of artistic expression.

Visual Arts: A Symphony of Creativity

Visual arts encompass a wide array of mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, and architecture. These diverse forms of expression provide individuals with the opportunity to convey their emotions, ideas, and perspectives visually.

From ancient cave paintings to architectural wonders like the Taj Mahal, visual arts have left an indelible mark on human civilization, reflecting societal values, beliefs, and aspirations.

Paintings and Sculptures: Eloquent Storytellers

Paintings and sculptures hold a unique power to capture emotions and experiences through visual representation. Iconic works like the Mona Lisa and Michelangelo's David have endured the test of time, mesmerizing viewers with their beauty and narrative depth.

Each brushstroke or chisel mark in these masterpieces tells a story, offering a window into the artist's psyche and the cultural context in which they were created.

Photography: Freezing Moments in Time

Photography, with its ability to freeze moments in time, serves as a potent medium for conveying love through visuals.

Whether capturing intimate portraits, serene landscapes, candid street scenes, or compelling documentary images, photographers can evoke powerful emotions and narratives without uttering a word.

In the world of love art, photography immortalizes the subtleties of human connection and the beauty of the world around us.

Performing Arts: The Language of Movement and Sound

Performing arts, including music, dance, theater, and even circus acts, harness movement and sound to convey emotions and stories. These art forms transcend language barriers, speaking directly to the heart and soul of the audience.

Music: The Universal Language of Love

Music, a potent form of artistic expression, occupies a special place in the realm of love art. Its melodies and rhythms have the capacity to transcend linguistic boundaries, resonating with listeners on a deep, emotional level.

Whether it's an orchestra playing dreamy tunes or a soloist skillfully coaxing melodies from an instrument, music has the power to evoke heartfelt emotions and convey the intricacies of love in its various forms.

Dance: The Language of Movement

Dance, with its graceful movements and storytelling prowess, adds another dimension to the world of love art. From classical ballet to contemporary dance styles, dancers use their bodies as vessels to convey emotions and narratives, captivating audiences worldwide.

Dance has been an integral part of human culture for millennia, with tribal dances from Africa and the innovations of luminaries like Isadora Duncan reflecting the enduring connection between movement and expression.

Theater: The Marriage of Elements

Theater, a dynamic art form, comes to life through the interplay of elements such as scripting, stage design, lighting, costumes, and makeup. It brings stories to life with actors inhabiting roles and breathing life into characters.

Opera, with its fusion of acting, singing, orchestral music, and stagecraft, presents yet another facet of theater artistry. Even circuses, often overlooked in the realm of performing arts, feature awe-inspiring acts of strength, agility, and entertainment.

Literary Expressions of Love Art

Literature, in its myriad forms, serves as a powerful conduit for the exploration and expression of love.

Whether through novels, poetry, plays, or essays, literature invites readers to embark on journeys to distant lands, immerse themselves in complex plots, and contemplate the deepest facets of love.

Novels: Portals to Complex Narratives

Novels, with their immersive narratives, offer readers a window into intricate plots and the lives of multifaceted characters. They provide a canvas for exploring the complexities of love, whether it be romantic, familial, or platonic.

Novels delve into the subtleties of human emotions, inviting readers to empathize with the characters and their experiences.

Poetry: The Art of Enchanting Rhymes

Poetry, with its lyrical verses and artful use of language, serves as a vehicle for stirring emotions and contemplation. Poets harness the power of words to evoke feelings of love and longing, crafting verses that resonate with readers on a profound level.

Poetry invites readers to immerse themselves in the beauty of language and explore the nuances of love through eloquent verses.

Plays: Bringing Tales to Life on Stage

Plays, through the amalgamation of dialogue, theatrical elements, and live performances, breathe life into stories and characters. They provide a glimpse into the intricacies of human existence, portraying love in all its forms, from romantic passion to familial bonds.

The theater captivates audiences with its ability to convey the depth of human emotions through live performances.

Essays: Thought-Provoking Reflections

Essays, as a form of non-fiction writing, offer thought-provoking reflections on a wide range of subjects, including love. Essayists share their ideas, opinions, and reflections on love and relationships, inviting readers to engage in meaningful contemplation.

Essays provide a platform for exploring the multifaceted nature of love and its impact on individuals and society.

Deciphering Symbolism and Themes in Love Art

To gain a deeper understanding of love art, it is essential to delve into the symbolism and themes that permeate this intricate realm. These sub-sections shed light on the multifaceted aspects of love and how they are portrayed across various forms of artistic expression.

Love and Relationships: Threads That Bind

Love and relationships serve as the threads that weave the fabric of our lives, forming the foundation of human connection. Exploring love in art unveils a myriad of signs and themes that express the depth and complexity of these connections.

Artists throughout history have sought to capture the essence of love using diverse methods and materials, illustrating its strength and value.

Themes of Soulmates: Unbreakable Bonds

One recurring theme in love art is the notion of soulmates— the belief in a person who completes us, who understands us on a profound level.

Artworks depicting soulmates often portray two individuals intertwined in an eternal embrace, their bodies dancing to signify an unbreakable bond.

Themes of Yearning and Desire: Expressions of Longing

Love art frequently explores the themes of yearning and desire, tapping into our innate longing for closeness. Artworks convey this yearning by depicting figures gazing lovingly at one another or capturing fleeting moments of intimacy.

These creations evoke vulnerability and raw emotion, serving as poignant reminders of our own need for companionship and intimacy.

Themes of Relationship Difficulties: A Delicate Balance

Love art also delves into the complexities of romantic relationships, shedding light on the challenges of jealousy, deception, and heartbreak.

These struggles are often symbolized through imagery such as broken hearts or fading flowers, offering a vivid portrayal of the bittersweet nature of human connections.

Romantic Love: Passions and Affections Unveiled

Romantic love emerges as a prominent theme in love art, characterized by passionate expressions and symbols of affection.

Artists capture the euphoria, longing, and desire that accompany romantic love, infusing their works with expressive brushstrokes and vivid imagery. Symbols such as hearts and roses further enhance the visual narrative, evoking a profound sense of connection.

Intimate Moments: A Glimpse into Affection

Within love art, intimate moments between lovers take center stage, offering viewers a window into the depths of their connection. These tender portrayals of affection evoke a sense of warmth and empathy, inviting audiences to share in the intimacy of the depicted relationship.

Nature's Role: Symbols of Love's Timelessness

Love art often draws upon the symbolism of nature to convey the enduring nature of romantic love. Whether through depictions of blooming flowers or imagery that symbolizes eternity, these artistic creations serve as visual metaphors for the timeless quality of love.

Self-Love and Empowerment: Celebrating the Self

Love art extends its canvas to celebrate the concept of self-love and empowerment. It encourages individuals to embrace their own worth and abilities, using vibrant colors and bold patterns to represent self-acceptance.

Love art demonstrates that self-love is not only essential but also visually captivating.

The Transformational Power of Love Art

Countless stories bear witness to individuals who, struggling with low self-esteem, have discovered their inner strength through love art inspired by self-love. These narratives underscore the transformative potential of love art in empowering and uplifting individuals.

A Call to Embrace Worthiness

Love art serves as a poignant reminder for individuals to embrace their inherent worthiness. Through captivating artwork, it extends an invitation to all to love themselves and celebrate their uniqueness.

Exploring love art becomes a journey of self-discovery, with every brushstroke or sculpture crafted with love serving as a key to unlocking one's potential.

Love for Nature or Humanity: An Enduring Connection

Art frequently reflects the profound connection between humanity and its environment, manifesting as love for nature and humanity. Artists employ various mediums to depict the magnificence of the natural world and the depth of human emotions.

Celebrating Nature's Beauty

Through techniques such as brushwork and intricate detailing, artists use their skills to portray the beauty of the natural world. Art becomes a tribute to nature's splendor, with paintings capturing forests, meadows, and lakes, each a testament to the breathtaking allure of the environment.

Celebrating Humanity's Emotions

Art also celebrates the vast spectrum of human emotions, from joy and sorrow to hope and dreams.

From simple sketches to intricate portraits, artists utilize vibrant colors, composition, and gestures to convey the full range of human experiences. Art serves as a mirror reflecting the joys, sorrows, hopes, and dreams of humanity.

Art as Activism

In some instances, art inspires viewers to take action. Artists leverage their creations to advocate for conservation and social justice, emphasizing the interconnectedness of art, activism, and the need to nurture both the environment and the well-being of individuals.

When exploring artworks that depict love for nature or humanity, take time to reflect on your own connection with these themes. Allow art to move you and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the world that surrounds us.

The Impact of Love Art on Society

To comprehend the far-reaching impact of love art on society, it is imperative to explore three crucial aspects: its role in fostering inspiration and emotional connection, its reflection of cultural and social values, and its significance in communication and expression.

Inspirational and Emotional Connection

The potency of love art lies in its ability to establish an inspiring and emotional bond with society. Through various artistic forms such as paintings, sculptures, music, literature, and dance, love art has the capacity to evoke intense emotions and penetrate the innermost recesses of our souls.

Visual Impact

Love art possesses a remarkable visual impact. When confronted with a captivating painting or a mesmerizing sculpture that encapsulates themes of love, a spark of emotion is ignited within. The interplay of colors, textures, and composition within these artworks communicates with viewers on a level that transcends the limitations of words.

A Universal Language

Love art transcends language barriers, making it accessible and appreciated by individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Emotions are a universal language, and whether it's a moving melody or a heartfelt poem about love, these forms of artistic expression possess the power to unite people and promote understanding.

Encouraging Action

Love art has the potential to catalyze action. When individuals witness acts of love or encounter stories of kindness, it inspires them to make positive changes in their own lives. Love art serves as a poignant reminder of the inherent goodness that resides within humanity.

Healing and Well-Being

Studies have demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of engaging with love art. According to the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), immersing oneself in art that focuses on love and connection can improve mood, reduce stress, and even enhance physical health.

Love art has the capacity to heal and nurture the well-being of individuals and communities.

Reflection of Cultural and Social Values

Love art wields a profound influence on society by reflecting the prevailing cultural and social values of its time. It serves as a mirror that captures the thoughts, beliefs, and evolving norms of society.

Traditions and Customs

Art provides a lens through which we can examine the traditions and customs that shape our society.

Love art often unveils the intricacies of cultural practices related to love and relationships, shedding light on the enduring traditions that have shaped human connections throughout history.

Gender Roles and Norms

Through the prism of love art, we gain insights into the evolving dynamics of gender roles and societal norms. It allows us to examine how societal values have influenced the portrayal of love in art and how these portrayals have transformed over time.

A Changing Landscape

It is essential to consider the historical context when analyzing the impact of love art on society. This contextual awareness enables us to appreciate how values have evolved over time and how this evolution is reflected in the art of each era.

Role in Communication and Expression

Love art assumes a pivotal role in communication and expression. It serves as a powerful tool for individuals to share their feelings, ideas, and thoughts in a captivating and evocative manner.

Paintings, sculptures, performances, and other forms of love art break down language barriers and connect with people on a profound level.

Paintings: Visualizing Emotions and Personal Experiences

Paintings enable artists to visually convey their emotions and personal experiences. Through brushstrokes and color palettes, they capture the essence of love, providing viewers with a tangible representation of the intensity of these emotions.

Sculptures: Representing Feelings and Individuality

Sculptures offer a three-dimensional representation of feelings and individuality. They allow artists to shape their emotions into tangible forms, creating artworks that resonate with viewers on both a visual and tactile level.

Performances: Communicating Through Movement and Expression

Performances, whether in the realm of dance, theater, or music, communicate through movement and expression. They provide artists with a platform to express raw emotions, convey narratives, and connect with audiences on an emotional level.

Fostering Empathy

Love art fosters empathy by showcasing a diverse range of stories and experiences. It invites individuals to understand and appreciate different perspectives, encouraging them to step into the shoes of others and gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of love.

An Enduring Medium

Love art has an enduring legacy that spans centuries. Artists have harnessed their creativity to speak of love, hope, unity, and longing.

From ancient cave paintings that depicted affection between humans to contemporary art that explores complex feelings, love art stands as a timeless medium for expressing inner desires and building connections.

Contemporary Love Art and Artists

To gain a deeper understanding of contemporary love art and the artists who shape it, let us explore notable love art movements and emerging artists in this field.

This journey will unveil creative expressions that highlight diverse interpretations of love and relationships, providing insights into the evolution of this art form through the works of talented artists.

Notable Love Art Movements

The world of art has witnessed remarkable love art movements that have captured the essence of love in captivating ways. These movements not only express the emotions of love but also depict how it evolves over time.

Lovism: Exploring Love Through Colors and Abstract Shapes

Lovism is an artistic movement that employs vibrant colors and abstract shapes to convey the multifaceted nature of love. Artists within this movement utilize bold and expressive brushwork to capture the intricacies of love in its various forms.

Amourism: Painting Passion and Romance with Expressive Brushstrokes

Amourism is characterized by its passionate and romantic depictions of love. Artists in this movement employ expressive brushstrokes to convey the intensity of romantic emotions. Their works exude an aura of sensuality and affection.

Erosionism: Challenging Conventions in Love and Sexuality

Erosionism is an avant-garde love art movement that challenges conventional notions of love and sexuality. Artists within this movement create provocative and thought-provoking art that explores the boundaries of love, desire, and human connection.

These movements offer diverse perspectives on the intricate tapestry of human emotions, providing a nuanced understanding of what love means to different individuals and societies.

Dive into the world of Lovism, Amourism, and Erosionism to gain insight into these powerful emotions and discover the beauty of human connection as portrayed through these remarkable works of art.

Emerging Artists in Love Art

Love art has always been a captivating realm for artists, both established and emerging. Let us embark on a journey to explore the boundary-pushing emerging artists who are redefining love art with their unique perspectives and talents.

Raw Emotions and Vibrant Creativity

Emerging artists delve deep into raw emotions and unleash their creativity onto the canvas. They use vibrant colors, expressive brushwork, and captivating compositions to portray love in its most authentic form.

Breaking away from conventional norms, these artists experiment with various mediums to create masterpieces that challenge viewers' perceptions of love.

Themes of Inclusivity and Gender Dynamics

In their pursuit of artistic expression, emerging artists address complex themes such as inclusivity and gender dynamics.

Their creations provoke thought and conversation, encouraging viewers to reconsider their preconceptions and engage with the evolving narratives of love in contemporary society.

The Power of Digital Media

Digital media offers emerging artists a dynamic platform to express their artistic visions. These artists use technology to craft visually stunning pieces that resonate with a global audience.

The digital realm allows them to explore new dimensions of love art, experimenting with animation, virtual reality, and interactive installations.

Art as a Tool for Social Change

Many emerging artists utilize love art as a tool for social change. They create powerful visual narratives that advocate for equality, diversity, and human rights.

Through their art, these artists challenge societal norms and inspire conversations about the transformative potential of love in addressing social issues.

The Intersection of Love and Identity

Identity and self-discovery often intersect with love art. Emerging artists explore how love shapes our sense of self and identity. They invite viewers to contemplate the intersection of love, gender, sexuality, and culture, fostering a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between these elements.

Discover the works of these emerging artists who are pushing the boundaries of love art. Their creativity and fresh perspectives contribute to the ongoing evolution of this dynamic and emotionally resonant art form.

Collecting Love Art: A Journey of Discovery

Collecting love art is not just an acquisition of beautiful pieces but a journey of self-discovery, emotional connection, and artistic exploration.

Whether you are an experienced collector or a novice enthusiast, there are essential considerations to ensure a meaningful and fulfilling collecting experience.

The Personal Connection

The first and most crucial aspect of collecting love art is the personal connection you feel with the artwork. Love art resonates deeply with individuals, evoking emotions and memories.

When you encounter a piece that speaks to you on an emotional level, it becomes more than just an object; it becomes a cherished part of your life.

Exploring Diverse Mediums

Love art encompasses diverse mediums, from paintings and sculptures to digital art and installations. As a collector, you have the opportunity to explore various artistic forms and discover the ones that resonate with you the most.

Each medium offers a unique perspective on love, allowing you to build a diverse and compelling collection.

Supporting Emerging Artists

Consider supporting emerging artists in your love art collection. Emerging artists often bring fresh and innovative perspectives to the art world, challenging traditional notions and pushing boundaries.

Collecting their work not only provides them with the recognition they deserve but also allows you to be part of their artistic journey.

Curating Your Collection

Curating a love art collection is a deeply personal and creative process. It involves selecting artworks that tell a cohesive and meaningful story about your relationship with love and human connection.

Consider themes, styles, and narratives that resonate with you and build your collection around them.

Investing in Art Care

Taking proper care of your love art collection is essential to preserve its beauty and value. Ensure that artworks are displayed and stored in a way that protects them from environmental factors like light, humidity, and temperature fluctuations. Regularly inspect and maintain your collection to prevent damage.

Building a Community

Collecting love art can be a solitary pursuit, but it also provides an opportunity to build a community of like-minded individuals who share your passion.

Engage with art galleries, attend exhibitions, and connect with other collectors to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and deepen your appreciation for love art.

The Joy of Sharing

Consider sharing your love art collection with others through exhibitions, loans to museums, or digital platforms. Sharing your collection allows more people to experience the emotional and artistic richness of love art and fosters a sense of connection within the art community.

A Lifelong Journey

Collecting love art is not a one-time endeavor; it's a lifelong journey of discovery and exploration. As you continue to collect and engage with love art, your collection will evolve, reflecting your changing tastes, experiences, and emotions.

An Expression of Love

Ultimately, collecting love art is a powerful expression of love itself. It is a testament to the enduring impact of love on our lives and a celebration of the beauty and complexity of human connections.

Through your collection, you contribute to the rich tapestry of love art and its ongoing evolution.

Conclusion: Love Art as a Timeless Expression

Love art is a timeless expression of the most profound and universal human emotion: love. It spans centuries, cultures, and artistic mediums, weaving a rich tapestry of emotions, experiences, and connections.

From the passionate brushstrokes of a painting to the emotive melodies of a song, love art captivates our hearts and minds, offering a profound reflection of our shared humanity.

As we journey through the enigmatic world of love art, we discover that it is not confined to the boundaries of a canvas or the pages of a book; it is a living, breathing entity that permeates our lives.

Love art inspires us, challenges us, comforts us, and empowers us. It reminds us that love, in all its forms, is a force that transcends time and space, connecting us to one another and to the deepest recesses of our own hearts.

So, as you explore the world of love art, let it be a journey of self-discovery, emotional connection, and artistic exploration. Allow love art to speak to your soul, to move you, and to inspire you.

Whether you are an artist, a collector, or an admirer, let love art be a reminder that love is not just an emotion; it is a profound and enduring expression of the human experience.

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Philosopher Erich Fromm on the Art of Loving and What Is Keeping Us from Mastering It

By maria popova.

That’s what the great German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, and philosopher Erich Fromm (March 23, 1900–March 18, 1980) examines in his 1956 masterwork The Art of Loving ( public library ) — a case for love as a skill to be honed the way artists apprentice themselves to the work on the way to mastery, demanding of its practitioner both knowledge and effort.

Fromm writes:

This book … wants to show that love is not a sentiment which can be easily indulged in by anyone, regardless of the level of maturity reached by him. It wants to convince the reader that all his attempts for love are bound to fail, unless he tries most actively to develop his total personality, so as to achieve a productive orientation; that satisfaction in individual love cannot be attained without the capacity to love one’s neighbor, without true humility, courage, faith and discipline. In a culture in which these qualities are rare, the attainment of the capacity to love must remain a rare achievement.

Fromm considers our warped perception of love’s necessary yin-yang:

Most people see the problem of love primarily as that of being loved , rather than that of loving , of one’s capacity to love. Hence the problem to them is how to be loved, how to be lovable. […] People think that to love is simple, but that to find the right object to love — or to be loved by — is difficult. This attitude has several reasons rooted in the development of modern society. One reason is the great change which occurred in the twentieth century with respect to the choice of a “love object.”

Our fixation on the choice of “love object,” Fromm argues, has seeded a kind of “confusion between the initial experience of ‘falling’ in love, and the permanent state of being in love, or as we might better say, of ‘standing’ in love” — something Stendhal addressed more than a century earlier in his theory of love’s “crystallization.” Fromm considers the peril of mistaking the spark for the substance:

If two people who have been strangers, as all of us are, suddenly let the wall between them break down, and feel close, feel one, this moment of oneness is one of the most exhilarating, most exciting experiences in life. It is all the more wonderful and miraculous for persons who have been shut off, isolated, without love. This miracle of sudden intimacy is often facilitated if it is combined with, or initiated by, sexual attraction and consummation. However, this type of love is by its very nature not lasting. The two persons become well acquainted, their intimacy loses more and more its miraculous character, until their antagonism, their disappointments, their mutual boredom kill whatever is left of the initial excitement. Yet, in the beginning they do not know all this: in fact, they take the intensity of the infatuation, this being “crazy” about each other, for proof of the intensity of their love, while it may only prove the degree of their preceding loneliness. […] There is hardly any activity, any enterprise, which is started with such tremendous hopes and expectations, and yet, which fails so regularly, as love.

The only way to abate this track record of failure, Fromm argues, is to examine the underlying reasons for the disconnect between our beliefs about love and its actual machinery — which must include a recognition of love as an informed practice rather than an unmerited grace. Fromm writes:

The first step to take is to become aware that love is an art, just as living is an art; if we want to learn how to love we must proceed in the same way we have to proceed if we want to learn any other art, say music, painting, carpentry, or the art of medicine or engineering. What are the necessary steps in learning any art? The process of learning an art can be divided conveniently into two parts: one, the mastery of the theory; the other, the mastery of the practice. If I want to learn the art of medicine, I must first know the facts about the human body, and about various diseases. When I have all this theoretical knowledge, I am by no means competent in the art of medicine. I shall become a master in this art only after a great deal of practice, until eventually the results of my theoretical knowledge and the results of my practice are blended into one — my intuition, the essence of the mastery of any art. But, aside from learning the theory and practice, there is a third factor necessary to becoming a master in any art — the mastery of the art must be a matter of ultimate concern; there must be nothing else in the world more important than the art. This holds true for music, for medicine, for carpentry — and for love. And, maybe, here lies the answer to the question of why people in our culture try so rarely to learn this art, in spite of their obvious failures: in spite of the deep-seated craving for love, almost everything else is considered to be more important than love: success, prestige, money, power — almost all our energy is used for the learning of how to achieve these aims, and almost none to learn the art of loving.

In the remainder of the enduringly excellent The Art of Loving , Fromm goes on to explore the misconceptions and cultural falsehoods keeping us from mastering this supreme human skill, outlining both its theory and its practice with extraordinary insight into the complexities of the human heart. Complement it with French philosopher Alain Badiou on why we fall and stay in love and Mary Oliver on love’s necessary madnesses , then explore more of Fromm’s visionary work on love not only as a romantic experience but as a social catalyst of collective sanity.

— Published October 29, 2015 — https://www.themarginalian.org/2015/10/29/the-art-of-loving-erich-fromm/ —

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Why i love painting, how art has touched my life in the best way..

The clock strikes midnight, and I dip my brush into a dab of acrylic blue, adding color to my otherwise featureless sky. Dragging it across the canvas, leading down to the house on the horizon. My canvas is already filled with a sketch and now all I need to do is add color and shades to give it dimension.

Art is amazing to me. Every perception of a subject and style is unique in its own way. Never is a piece exactly like another when hand-painted and drawn. When looking at a bowl of fruit, for instance, you could create a copy of what you see before you as perfect as possible, or you could tweak the image. As an artist, you have the ability to make anything happen if you can both imagine it and execute it.

Out of the wide array of genres and styles to paint and create, be it realism, classical, pop art, etc., I myself have always been fond of abstract. With the very definition being "existing in thought or as an idea, but not having a physical or concrete existence," the style of the abstract can be left to the imagination and has no true form. With every artist's interpretation of the world before them but without structure or defining qualities, everyone piece is a new thought. Abstract pieces often make people look deeper into the color scheme or the elements provided, to make some sort of sense out of a painting. With everyone's opinion being different abstract pieces always keep people guessing.

In my own personal experience, I first started art class my junior year. I was always interested in drawing or doodling, but I chose the chorus instead and stuck with it from sixth grade to sophomore year. I wasn't good at the time with anything really, so when I turned in my homework for Art 1, I just marked 'abstract' and my teacher liked it. I liked it, too, so she helped me expand my mind and really start creating more thought-provoking pieces. I first started taking the real picture, but changing the colors. Then I started getting boxier, and then I started getting more colorful, and then I kind of just stopped making the real picture and just went crazy with color. Accepted into AP my senior year because of my work habit, I developed my skill over the summer and came in with pieces ready. I was very prolific and actually turned my dad's basement into my studio, from ideas I wrote down in my phone.

But in mid-November, I started to feel depressed and refused to acknowledge it. It got worse over time and as I sunk into a deep depression and suicidal thoughts haunted my mind. I used to not be okay with talking about my emotions and turned to abstract art as a coping mechanism. The best part was that I was often praised and felt validated in my class and by my teacher when I presented my pieces. Along with that motivation and praise, I was able to begin to feel okay again.

Painting is a healthy was to express your feelings and calm yourself when times are rough. You get to enjoy your finished product and have pride in your commitment to your creative endeavor. Anyone can be an artist, and the joy is universal. I will always love to create, and I invite you to do the same.

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14 invisible activities: unleash your inner ghost, obviously the best superpower..

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

1. "Haunt" your friends.

Follow them into their house and cause a ruckus.

2. Sneak into movie theaters.

Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health , says science

Considering that the monthly cost of subscribing to a media-streaming service like Netflix is oft...

Free movies...what else to I have to say?

3. Sneak into the pantry and grab a snack without judgment.

Late night snacks all you want? Duh.

4. Reenact "Hollow Man" and play Kevin Bacon.

America's favorite son? And feel what it's like to be in a MTV Movie Award nominated film? Sign me up.

5. Wear a mask and pretend to be a floating head.

Just another way to spook your friends in case you wanted to.

6. Hold objects so they'll "float."

"Oh no! A floating jar of peanut butter."

7. Win every game of hide-and-seek.

Just stand out in the open and you'll win.

8. Eat some food as people will watch it disappear.

Even everyday activities can be funny.

9. Go around pantsing your friends.

Even pranks can be done; not everything can be good.

10. Not have perfect attendance.

You'll say here, but they won't see you...

11. Avoid anyone you don't want to see.

Whether it's an ex or someone you hate, just use your invisibility to slip out of the situation.

12. Avoid responsibilities.

Chores? Invisible. People asking about social life? Invisible. Family being rude? Boom, invisible.

13. Be an expert on ding-dong-ditch.

Never get caught and have the adrenaline rush? I'm down.

14. Brag about being invisible.

Be the envy of the town.

But don't, I repeat, don't go in a locker room. Don't be a pervert with your power. No one likes a Peeping Tom.

Good luck, folks.

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned..

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

1. The importance of traditions.

Sometimes traditions seem like a silly thing, but the fact of it is that it's part of who you are. You grew up this way and, more than likely, so did your parents. It is something that is part of your family history and that is more important than anything.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

No matter how many times they get on your nerves or make you mad, they are the ones who will always be there and you should never take that for granted.

3. How to give back.

When tragedy strikes in a small town, everyone feels obligated to help out because, whether directly or indirectly, it affects you too. It is easy in a bigger city to be able to disconnect from certain problems. But in a small town those problems affect everyone.

4. What the word "community" really means.

Along the same lines as #3, everyone is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand when you need one in a small town and to me that is the true meaning of community. It's working together to build a better atmosphere, being there to raise each other up, build each other up, and pick each other up when someone is in need. A small town community is full of endless support whether it be after a tragedy or at a hometown sports game. Everyone shows up to show their support.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

People say this to others all the time, but it takes on a whole new meaning in a small town. It is true that life is about the journey, but when you're from a small town, you know it's about the journey because the journey probably takes longer than you spend at the destination. Everything is so far away that it is totally normal to spend a couple hours in the car on your way to some form of entertainment. And most of the time, you're gonna have as many, if not more, memories and laughs on the journey than at the destination.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

Word travels fast in a small town, so don't think you're gonna get away with anything. In fact, your parents probably know what you did before you even have a chance to get home and tell them. And forget about being scared of what your teacher, principle, or other authority figure is going to do, you're more afraid of what your parents are gonna do when you get home.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

Everyone deserves a chance. Most people don't have ill-intentions and you can't live your life guarding against every one else just because a few people in your life have betrayed your trust.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

While small towns are not always extremely diverse, they do contain people with a lot of different stories, struggle, and backgrounds. In a small town, it is pretty hard to exclude anyone because of who they are or what they come from because there aren't many people to choose from. A small town teaches you that just because someone isn't the same as you, doesn't mean you can't be great friends.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

In a small town, you learn that it's okay to be who you are and do your own thing. You learn that confidence isn't how beautiful you are or how much money you have, it's who you are on the inside.

10. How to work for what I want.

Nothing comes easy in life. They always say "gardens don't grow overnight" and if you're from a small town you know this both figuratively and literally. You certainly know gardens don't grow overnight because you've worked in a garden or two. But you also know that to get to the place you want to be in life it takes work and effort. It doesn't just happen because you want it to.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

If you're from a small town, you know that you will probably only meet a handful of people in your life who ACTUALLY know where your town is. And forget about the people who accidentally enter into your town because of google maps. You've gotten really good at giving them directions right back to the interstate.

12. How to be humble.

My small town has definitely taught me how to be humble. It isn't always about you, and anyone who grows up in a small town knows that. Everyone gets their moment in the spotlight, and since there's so few of us, we're probably best friends with everyone so we are as excited when they get their moment of fame as we are when we get ours.

13. To be well-rounded.

Going to a small town high school definitely made me well-rounded. There isn't enough kids in the school to fill up all the clubs and sports teams individually so be ready to be a part of them all.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

In a small town, good luck holding a grudge. In a bigger city you can just avoid a person you don't like or who you've had problems with. But not in a small town. You better resolve the issue fast because you're bound to see them at least 5 times a week.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

One of my favorite things about growing up in a rural area was being able to go outside and go exploring and not have to worry about being in danger. There is nothing more exciting then finding a new place somewhere in town or in the woods and just spending time there enjoying the natural beauty around you.

16. To be prepared for anything.

You never know what may happen. If you get a flat tire, you better know how to change it yourself because you never know if you will be able to get ahold of someone else to come fix it. Mechanics might be too busy , or more than likely you won't even have enough cell service to call one.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

It's okay to ask for help. One thing I realized when I moved away from my town for college, was how much my town has taught me that I could ask for help is I needed it. I got into a couple situations outside of my town where I couldn't find anyone to help me and found myself thinking, if I was in my town there would be tons of people ready to help me. And even though I couldn't find anyone to help, you better believe I wasn't afraid to ask.

18. How to be creative.

When you're at least an hour away from normal forms of entertainment such as movie theaters and malls, you learn to get real creative in entertaining yourself. Whether it be a night looking at the stars in the bed of a pickup truck or having a movie marathon in a blanket fort at home, you know how to make your own good time.

19. To brush off gossip.

It's all about knowing the person you are and not letting others influence your opinion of yourself. In small towns, there is plenty of gossip. But as long as you know who you really are, it will always blow over.

Grateful Beyond Words: A Letter to My Inspiration

I have never been so thankful to know you..

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

You have taught me that you don't always have to strong. You are allowed to break down as long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward. When life had you at your worst moments, you allowed your friends to be there for you and to help you. You let them in and they helped pick you up. Even in your darkest hour you showed so much strength. I know that you don't believe in yourself as much as you should but you are unbelievably strong and capable of anything you set your mind to.

Your passion to make a difference in the world is unbelievable. You put your heart and soul into your endeavors and surpass any personal goal you could have set. Watching you do what you love and watching you make a difference in the lives of others is an incredible experience. The way your face lights up when you finally realize what you have accomplished is breathtaking and I hope that one day I can have just as much passion you have.

SEE MORE: A Letter To My Best Friend On Her Birthday

The love you have for your family is outstanding. Watching you interact with loved ones just makes me smile . You are so comfortable and you are yourself. I see the way you smile when you are around family and I wish I could see you smile like this everyday. You love with all your heart and this quality is something I wished I possessed.

You inspire me to be the best version of myself. I look up to you. I feel that more people should strive to have the strength and passion that you exemplify in everyday life.You may be stubborn at points but when you really need help you let others in, which shows strength in itself. I have never been more proud to know someone and to call someone my role model. You have taught me so many things and I want to thank you. Thank you for inspiring me in life. Thank you for making me want to be a better person.

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life..

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Don't freak out

This is a rule you should continue to follow no matter what you do in life, but is especially helpful in this situation.

Email the professor

Around this time, professors are getting flooded with requests from students wanting to get into full classes. This doesn't mean you shouldn't burden them with your email; it means they are expecting interested students to email them. Send a short, concise message telling them that you are interested in the class and ask if there would be any chance for you to get in.

Attend the first class

Often, the advice professors will give you when they reply to your email is to attend the first class. The first class isn't the most important class in terms of what will be taught. However, attending the first class means you are serious about taking the course and aren't going to give up on it.

Keep attending class

Every student is in the same position as you are. They registered for more classes than they want to take and are "shopping." For the first couple of weeks, you can drop or add classes as you please, which means that classes that were once full will have spaces. If you keep attending class and keep up with assignments, odds are that you will have priority. Professors give preference to people who need the class for a major and then from higher to lower class year (senior to freshman).

Have a backup plan

For two weeks, or until I find out whether I get into my waitlisted class, I will be attending more than the usual number of classes. This is so that if I don't get into my waitlisted class, I won't have a credit shortage and I won't have to fall back in my backup class. Chances are that enough people will drop the class, especially if it is very difficult like computer science, and you will have a chance. In popular classes like art and psychology, odds are you probably won't get in, so prepare for that.

Remember that everything works out at the end

Life is full of surprises. So what if you didn't get into the class you wanted? Your life obviously has something else in store for you. It's your job to make sure you make the best out of what you have.

Navigating the Talking Stage: 21 Essential Questions to Ask for Connection

It's mandatory to have these conversations..

Whether you met your new love interest online , through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

1. What do you do for a living?

What someone does for a living can tell a lot about who they are and what they're interested in! Their career reveals a lot more about them than just where they spend their time to make some money.

2. What's your favorite color?

OK, I get it, this seems like something you would ask a Kindergarten class, but I feel like it's always good to know someone's favorite color . You could always send them that Snapchat featuring you in that cute shirt you have that just so happens to be in their favorite color!

3. Do you have any siblings?

This one is actually super important because it's totally true that people grow up with different roles and responsibilities based on where they fall in the order. You can tell a lot about someone just based on this seemingly simple question.

4. What's your favorite television show?

OK, maybe this isn't a super important question, but you have to know ASAP if you can quote Michael Scott or not. If not, he probably isn't the one. Sorry, girl.

5. When is your birthday?

You can then proceed to do the thing that every girl does without admitting it and see how compatible your zodiacs are.

6. What's your biggest goal in life?

If you're like me, you have big goals that you want to reach someday, and you want a man behind you who also has big goals and understands what it's like to chase after a dream. If his biggest goal is to see how quickly he can binge-watch " Grey's Anatomy " on Netflix , you may want to move on.

7. If you had three wishes granted to you by a genie, what would they be?

This is a go-to for an insight into their personality. Based on how they answer, you can tell if they're goofy, serious, or somewhere in between.

8. What's your favorite childhood memory?

For some, this may be a hard question if it involves a family member or friend who has since passed away . For others, it may revolve around a tradition that no longer happens. The answers to this question are almost endless!

9. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

We all have parts of our lives and stories that we wish we could change. It's human nature to make mistakes. This question is a little bit more personal but can really build up the trust level.

10. Are you a cat or a dog person?

I mean, duh! If you're a dog person, and he is a cat person, it's not going to work out.

11. Do you believe in a religion or any sort of spiritual power?

Personally, I am a Christian, and as a result, I want to be with someone who shares those same values. I know some people will argue that this question is too much in the talking stage , but why go beyond the talking stage if your personal values will never line up?

12. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Even homebodies have a must visit place on their bucket list !

13. What is your ideal date night?

Hey, if you're going to go for it... go for it!

14. Who was/is your celebrity crush?

For me, it was hands-down Nick Jonas . This is always a fun question to ask!

15. What's a good way to cheer you up if you're having a bad day?

Let's be real, if you put a label on it, you're not going to see your significant other at their best 24/7.

16. Do you have any tattoos?

This can lead to some really good conversations, especially if they have a tattoo that has a lot of meaning to them!

17. Can you describe yourself in three words?

It's always interesting to see if how the person you're talking to views their personal traits lines ups with the vibes you're getting.

18. What makes you the most nervous in life?

This question can go multiple different directions, and it could also be a launching pad for other conversations.

19. What's the best gift you have ever received? 

Admittedly, I have asked this question to friends as well, but it's neat to see what people value.

20. What do you do to relax/have fun?

Work hard, play hard, right?

21. What are your priorities at this phase of your life?

This is always interesting because no matter how compatible your personalities may be, if one of you wants to be serious and the other is looking for something casual, it's just not going to work.

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By Will Fenstermaker

June 14, 2017

There has never been a time when art critics held more power than during the second half of the twentieth century. Following the Second World War, with the relocation of the world’s artistic epicenter from Paris to New York, a different kind of war was waged in the pages of magazines across the country. As part of the larger “culture wars” of the mid-century, art critics began to take on greater influence than they’d ever held before. For a time, two critics in particular—who began as friends, and remained in the same social circles for much of their lives—set the stakes of the debates surrounding the maturation of American art that would continue for decades. The ideas about art outlined by Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg are still debated today, and the extent to which they were debated in the past has shaped entire movements of the arts. Below are ten works of criticism through which one can trace the mainstreaming of Clement Greenberg’s formalist theory, and how its dismantling led us into institutional critique and conceptual art today.

The American Action Painters

Harold Rosenberg

Harold Rosenberg, a poet who came to art through his involvement with the Artist’s Union and the WPA, was introduced to Jean-Paul Sartre as the “first American existentialist.” Soon, Rosenberg became a contributor to Sartre’s publication in France, for which he first drafted his influential essay. However, when Sartre supported Soviet aggression against Korea, Rosenberg brought his essay to Elaine de Kooning , then the editor of ARTnews , who ran “The American Action Painters” in December, 1952.

RELATED: What Did Harold Rosenberg Do? An Introduction to the Champion of “Action Painting”

Rosenberg’s essay on the emerging school of American Painters omitted particular names—because they’d have been unfamiliar to its original French audience—but it was nonetheless extraordinarily influential for the burgeoning scene of post-WWII American artists. Jackson Pollock claimed to be the influence of “action painting,” despite Rosenberg’s rumored lack of respect for the artist because Pollock wasn’t particularly well-read. Influenced by Marxist theory and French existentialism, Rosenberg conceives of a painting as an “arena,” in which the artist acts upon, wrestles, or otherwise engages with the canvas, in what ultimately amounts to an expressive record of a struggle. “What was to go on the canvas,” Rosenberg wrote, “was not a picture but an event.”

Notable Quote

Weak mysticism, the “Christian Science” side of the new movement, tends … toward easy painting—never so many unearned masterpieces! Works of this sort lack the dialectical tension of a genuine act, associated with risk and will. When a tube of paint is squeezed by the Absolute, the result can only be a Success. The painter need keep himself on hand solely to collect the benefits of an endless series of strokes of luck. His gesture completes itself without arousing either an opposing movement within itself nor the desire in the artist to make the act more fully his own. Satisfied with wonders that remain safely inside the canvas, the artist accepts the permanence of the commonplace and decorates it with his own daily annihilation. The result is an apocalyptic wallpaper.

‘American-Type’ Painting

Clement Greenberg

Throughout the preceding decade, Clement Greenberg, also a former poet, had established a reputation as a leftist critic through his writings with The Partisan Review —a publication run by the John Reed Club, a New York City-centered organization affiliated with the American Communist Party—and his time as an art critic with The Nation . In 1955, The Partisan Review published Greenberg’s “‘American-Type’ Painting,” in which the critic defined the now-ubiquitous term “abstract expressionism.”

RELATED: What Did Clement Greenberg Do? A Primer on the Powerful AbEx Theorist’s Key Ideas

In contrast to Rosenberg’s conception of painting as a performative act, Greenberg’s theory, influenced by Clive Bell and T. S. Eliot, was essentially a formal one—in fact, it eventually evolved into what would be called “formalism.” Greenberg argued that the evolution of painting was one of historical determinacy—that ever since the Renaissance, pictures moved toward flatness, and the painted line moved away from representation. Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso were two of the landmarks of this view. Pollock, who exhibited his drip paintings in 1951, freeing the line from figuration, was for Greenberg the pinnacle of American Modernism, the most important artist since Picasso. (Pollock’s paintings exhibited in 1954, with which he returned to semi-representational form, were regarded by Greenberg as a regression. This lead him to adopt Barnett Newman as his new poster-boy, despite the artist’s possessing vastly different ideas on the nature of painting. For one, Greenberg mostly ignored the Biblical titles of Newman’s paintings.)

Greenberg’s formalist theories were immensely influential over the subsequent decades. Artforum in particular grew into a locus for formalist discourse, which had the early effect of providing an aesthetic toolkit divorced from politic. Certain curators of the Museum of Modern Art, particularly William Rubin, Kirk Varnedoe, and to an extent Alfred Barr are credited for steering the museum in an essentially formalist direction. Some painters, such as Frank Stella , Helen Frankenthaler , and Kenneth Noland, had even been accused of illustrating Greenberg’s theories (and those of Michael Fried, a prominent Greenbergian disciple) in attempt to embody the theory, which was restrictive in its failure to account for narrative content, figuration, identity, politics, and more. In addition, Greenberg’s theories proved well-suited for a burgeoning art market, which found connoisseurship an easy sell. (As the writer Mary McCarthy said, “You can’t hang an event on your wall.”) In fact, the dominance of the term “abstract expressionism” over “action painting,” which seemed more applicable to Pollock and Willem de Kooning than any other members of the New York School, is emblematic of the influence of formalist discourse.

The justification for the term, “abstract expressionist,” lies in the fact that most of the painters covered by it took their lead from German, Russian, or Jewish expressionism in breaking away from late Cubist abstract art. But they all started from French painting, for their fundamental sense of style from it, and still maintain some sort of continuity with it. Not least of all, they got from it their most vivid notion of an ambitious, major art, and of the general direction in which it had to go in their time.

Barbara Rose

Like many critics in the 1950s and 60s, Barbara Rose had clearly staked her allegiance to one camp or the other. She was, firmly, a formalist, and along with Fried and Rosalind Krauss is largely credited with expanding the theory beyond abstract expressionist painting. By 1965, however, Rose recognized a limitation of the theory as outlined by Greenberg—that it was reductionist and only capable of account for a certain style of painting, and not much at all in other mediums.

RELATED: The Intellectual Origins Of Minimalism

In “ABC Art,” published in Art in America where Rose was a contributing editor, Rose opens up formalism to encompass sculpture, which Greenberg was largely unable to account for. The simple idea that art moves toward flatness and abstraction leads, for Rose, into Minimalism, and “ABC Art” is often considered the first landmark essay on Minimalist art. By linking the Minimalist sculptures of artists like Donald Judd to the Russian supremacist paintings of Kasimir Malevich and readymades of Duchamp, she extends the determinist history that formalism relies on into sculpture and movements beyond abstract expressionism.

I do not agree with critic Michael Fried’s view that Duchamp, at any rate, was a failed Cubist. Rather, the inevitability of a logical evolution toward a reductive art was obvious to them already. For Malevich, the poetic Slav, this realization forced a turning inward toward an inspirational mysticism, whereas for Duchamp, the rational Frenchman, it meant a fatigue so enervating that finally the wish to paint at all was killed. Both the yearnings of Malevich’s Slavic soul and the deductions of Duchamp’s rationalist mind led both men ultimately to reject and exclude from their work many of the most cherished premises of Western art in favor of an art stripped to its bare, irreducible minimum.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Philip Leider

Despite the rhetorical tendency to suggest the social upheaval of the '60s ended with the actual decade, 1970 remained a year of unrest. And Artforum was still the locus of formalist criticism, which was proving increasingly unable to account for art that contributed to larger cultural movements, like Civil Rights, women’s liberation, anti-war protests, and more. (Tellingly, The Partisan Review , which birthed formalism, had by then distanced itself from its communist associations and, as an editorial body, was supportive of American Interventionism in Vietnam. Greenberg was a vocal hawk.) Subtitled “Art and Politics in Nevada, Berkeley, San Francisco, and Utah,” the editor’s note to the September 1970 issue of Artforum , written by Philip Leider, ostensibly recounts a road trip undertaken with Richard Serra and Abbie Hoffman to see Michael Heizer’s Double Negative in the Nevada desert.

RELATED: A City of Art in the Desert: Behind Michael Heizer’s Monumental Visions for Nevada

However, the essay is also an account of an onsetting disillusion with formalism, which Leider found left him woefully unequipped to process the protests that had erupted surrounding an exhibition of prints by Paul Wunderlich at the Phoenix Gallery in Berkeley. Wunderlich’s depictions of nude women were shown concurrently to an exhibition of drawings sold to raise money for Vietnamese orphans. The juxtaposition of a canonical, patriarchal form of representation and liberal posturing, to which the protestors objected, showcased the limitations of a methodology that placed the aesthetic elements of a picture plane far above the actual world in which it existed. Less than a year later, Leider stepped down as editor-in-chief and Artforum began to lose its emphasis on late Modernism.

I thought the women were probably with me—if they were, I was with them. I thought the women were picketing the show because it was reactionary art. To the women, [Piet] Mondrian must be a great revolutionary artist. Abstract art broke all of those chains thirty years ago! What is a Movement gallery showing dumb stuff like this for? But if it were just a matter of reactionary art , why would the women picket it? Why not? Women care as much about art as men do—maybe more. The question is, why weren’t the men right there with them?

Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?

Linda Nochlin

While Artforum , in its early history, had established a reputation as a generator for formalist theory, ARTnews had followed a decidedly more Rosenberg-ian course, emphasizing art as a practice for investigating the world. The January 1971 issue of the magazine was dedicated to “Women’s Liberation, Woman Artists, and Art History” and included an iconoclastic essay by Linda Nochlin titled “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?”

RELATED: An Introduction to Feminist Art

Nochlin notes that it’s tempting to answer the question “why have there been no great women artists?” by listing examples of those overlooked by critical and institutional organizations (a labor that Nochlin admits has great merit). However, she notes, “by attempting to answer it, they tacitly reinforce its negative implications,” namely that women are intrinsically less capable of achieving artistic merit than men. Instead, Nochlin’s essay functions as a critique of art institutions, beginning with European salons, which were structured in such a way as to deter women from rising to the highest echelons. Nochlin’s essay is considered the beginning of modern feminist art history and a textbook example of institutional critique.

There are no women equivalents for Michelangelo or Rembrandt, Delacroix or Cézanne, Picasso or Matisse, or even in very recent times, for de Kooning or Warhol, any more than there are black American equivalents for the same. If there actually were large numbers of “hidden” great women artists, or if there really should be different standards for women’s art as opposed to men’s—and one can’t have it both ways—then what are feminists fighting for? If women have in fact achieved the same status as men in the arts, then the status quo is fine as it is. But in actuality, as we all know, things as they are and as they have been, in the arts as in a hundred other areas, are stultifying, oppressive, and discouraging to all those, women among them, who did not have the good fortune to be born white, preferably middle class and above all, male. The fault lies not in our stars, our hormones, our menstrual cycles, or our empty internal spaces, but in our institutions and our education.

Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief

Thomas McEvilley

One of the many extrapolations of Nochlin’s essay is that contemporary museum institutions continue to reflect the gendered and racist biases of preceding centuries by reinforcing the supremacy of specific master artists. In a 1984 Artforum review, Thomas McEvilley, a classicist new to the world of contemporary art, made the case that the Museum of Modern Art in New York served as an exclusionary temple to certain high-minded Modernists—namely, Picasso, Matisse, and Pollock—who, in fact, took many of their innovations from native cultures.

RELATED: MoMA Curator Laura Hoptman on How to Tell a Good Painting From a “Bogus” Painting

In 1984, MoMA organized a blockbuster exhibition. Curated by William Rubin and Kirk Varnedoe, both of whom were avowed formalists, “‘Primitivism’ in 20th Century Art: Affinity of the Tribal and the Modern” collected works by European painters like Paul Gaugin and Picasso with cultural artifacts from Zaire, arctic communities, and elsewhere. McEvilley takes aim at the “the absolutist view of formalist Modernism” in which MoMA is rooted. He argues that the removal tribal artifacts from their contexts (for example, many were ritual items intended for ceremonies, not display) and placement of them, unattributed, near works by European artists, censors the cultural contributions of non-Western civilizations in deference to an idealized European genius.

The fact that the primitive “looks like” the Modern is interpreted as validating the Modern by showing that its values are universal, while at the same time projecting it—and with it MoMA—into the future as a permanent canon. A counter view is possible: that primitivism on the contrary invalidates Modernism by showing it to be derivative and subject to external causation. At one level this show undertakes precisely to coopt that question by answering it before it has really been asked, and by burying it under a mass of information.

Please Wait By the Coatroom

Not content to let MoMA and the last vestiges of formalism off the hook yet, John Yau wrote in 1988 an essay on Wifredo Lam, a Cuban painter who lived and worked in Paris among Picasso, Matisse, Georges Braque, and others. Noting Lam’s many influences—his Afro-Cuban mother, Chinese father, and Yoruba godmother—Yau laments the placement of Lam’s The Jungle near the coatroom in the Museum of Modern Art, as opposed to within the Modernist galleries several floors above. The painting was accompanied by a brief entry written by former curator William Rubin, who, Yau argues, adopted Greenberg’s theories because they endowed him with “a connoisseur’s lens with which one can scan all art.”

RELATED: From Cuba With Love: Artist Bill Claps on the Island’s DIY Art Scene

Here, as with with McEvilley’s essay, Yau illustrates how formalism, as adapted by museum institutions, became a (perhaps unintentional) method for reinforcing the exclusionary framework that Nochlin argued excluded women and black artists for centuries.

Rubin sees in Lam only what is in his own eyes: colorless or white artists. For Lam to have achieved the status of unique individual, he would have had to successfully adapt to the conditions of imprisonment (the aesthetic standards of a fixed tradition) Rubin and others both construct and watch over. To enter this prison, which takes the alluring form of museums, art history textbooks, galleries, and magazines, an individual must suppress his cultural differences and become a colorless ghost. The bind every hybrid American artist finds themselves in is this: should they try and deal with the constantly changing polymorphous conditions effecting identity, tradition, and reality? Or should they assimilate into the mainstream art world by focusing on approved-of aesthetic issues? Lam’s response to this bind sets an important precedent. Instead of assimilating, Lam infiltrates the syntactical rules of “the exploiters” with his own specific language. He becomes, as he says, “a Trojan horse.”

Black Culture and Postmodernism

Cornel West

The opening up of cultural discourse did not mean that it immediately made room for voices of all dimensions. Cornel West notes as much in his 1989 essay “Black Culture and Postmodernism,” in which he argues that postmodernism, much like Modernism before it, remains primarily ahistorical, which makes it difficult for “oppressed peoples to exercise their opposition to hierarchies of power.” West’s position is that the proliferation of theory and criticism that accompanied the rise of postmodernism provided mechanisms by which black culture could “be conversant with and, to a degree, participants in the debate.” Without their voices, postmodernism would remain yet another exclusionary movements.

RELATED: Kerry James Marshall on Painting Blackness as a Noun Vs. Verb

As the consumption cycle of advanced multinational corporate capitalism was sped up in order to sustain the production of luxury goods, cultural production became more and more mass-commodity production. The stress here is not simply on the new and fashionable but also on the exotic and primitive. Black cultural products have historically served as a major source for European and Euro-American exotic interests—interests that issue from a healthy critique of the mechanistic, puritanical, utilitarian, and productivity aspects of modern life.

Minimalism and the Rhetoric of Power

Anna C. Chave

In recent years, formalist analysis has been deployed as a single tool within a more varied approach to art. Its methodology—that of analyzing a picture as an isolated phenomena—remains prevalent, and has its uses. Yet, many of the works and movements that rose to prominence under formalist critics and curators, in no small part because of their institutional acceptance, have since become part of the rearguard rather than the vanguard.

In a 1990 essay for Arts Magazine , Anna Chave analyzes how Minimalist sculpture possesses a “domineering, sometimes brutal rhetoric” that was aligned with “both the American military in Vietnam, and the police at home in the streets and on university campuses across the country.” In particular, Chave is concerned with the way Minimalist sculptures define themselves through a process of negation. Of particular relevance to Chave’s argument are the massive steel sculptures by Minimalist artist Richard Serra.

Tilted Arc was installed in Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan in 1981. Chave describes the work as a “mammoth, perilously tilted steel arc [that] formed a divisive barrier too tall to see over, and a protracted trip to walk around.” She writes, “it is more often the case with Serra that his work doesn’t simply exemplify aggression or domination, but acts it out.” Tilted Arc was so controversial upon its erecting that the General Services Administration, which commissioned the work, held hearings in response to petitions demanding the work be removed. Worth quoting at length, Chave writes:

A predictable defense of Serra’s work was mounted by critics, curators, dealers, collectors, and some fellow artists…. The principle arguments mustered on Serra’s behalf were old ones concerning the nature and function of the avant-garde…. What Rubin and Serra’s other supporters declined to ask is whether the sculptor really is, in the most meaningful sense of the term, an avant-garde artist. Being avant-garde implies being ahead of, outside, or against the dominant culture; proffering a vision that implicitly stands (at least when it is conceived) as a critique of entrenched forms and structures…. But Serra’s work is securely embedded within the system: when the brouhaha over Arc was at its height, he was enjoying a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art…. [The defense’s] arguments locate Serra not with the vanguard but with the standing army or “status quo.” … More thoughtful, sensible, and eloquent testimony at the hearing came instead from some of the uncouth:

My name is Danny Katz and I work in this building as a clerk. My friend Vito told me this morning that I am a philistine. Despite that I am getting up to speak…. I don’t think this issue should be elevated into a dispute between the forces of ignorance and art, or art versus government. I really blame government less because it has long ago outgrown its human dimension. But from the artists I expected a lot more. I didn’t expect to hear them rely on the tired and dangerous reasoning that the government has made a deal, so let the rabble live with the steel because it’s a deal. That kind of mentality leads to wars. We had a deal with Vietnam. I didn’t expect to hear the arrogant position that art justifies interference with the simple joys of human activity in a plaza. It’s not a great plaza by international standards, but it is a small refuge and place of revival for people who ride to work in steel containers, work in sealed rooms, and breathe recirculated air all day. Is the purpose of art in public places to seal off a route of escape, to stress the absence of joy and hope? I can’t believe this was the artistic intention, yet to my sadness this for me has become the dominant effect of the work, and it’s all the fault of its position and location. I can accept anything in art, but I can’t accept physical assault and complete destruction of pathetic human activity. No work of art created with a contempt for ordinary humanity and without respect for the common element of human experience can be great. It will always lack dimension.

The terms Katz associated with Serra’s project include arrogance and contempt, assault, and destruction; he saw the Minimalist idiom, in other words, as continuous with the master discourse of our imperious and violent technocracy.

The End of Art

Arthur Danto

Like Greenberg, Arthur Danto was an art critic for The Nation . However, Danto was overtly critical of Greenberg’s ideology and the influence he wielded over Modern and contemporary art. Nor was he a follower of Harold Rosenberg, though they shared influences, among them the phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty. Danto’s chief contribution to contemporary art was his advancing of Pop Artists, particularly Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein .

In “The End of Art” Danto argues that society at large determines and accepts art, which no longer progresses linearly, categorized by movements. Instead, viewers each possess a theory or two, which they use to interpret works, and art institutions are largely tasked with developing, testing, and modifying various interpretive methods. In this way, art differs little from philosophy. After decades of infighting regarding the proper way to interpret works of art, Danto essentially sanctioned each approach and the institutions that gave rise to them. He came to call this “pluralism.”

RELATED: What Was the Pictures Generation?

Similarly, in “Painting, Politics, and Post-Historical Art,” Danto makes the case for an armistice between formalism and the various theories that arose in opposition, noting that postmodern critics like Douglas Crimp in the 1980s, who positioned themselves against formalism, nonetheless adopted the same constrictive air, minus the revolutionary beginnings.

Modernist critical practice was out of phase with what was happening in the art world itself in the late 60s and through the 1970s. It remained the basis for most critical practice, especially on the part of the curatoriat, and the art-history professoriat as well, to the degree that it descended to criticism. It became the language of the museum panel, the catalog essay, the article in the art periodical. It was a daunting paradigm, and it was the counterpart in discourse to the “broadening of taste” which reduced art of all cultures and times to its formalist skeleton, and thus, as I phrased it, transformed every museum into a Museum of Modern Art, whatever that museum’s contents. It was the stable of the docent’s gallery talk and the art appreciation course—and it was replaced, not totally but massively, by the postmodernist discourse that was imported from Paris in the late 70s, in the texts of Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Jean Baudrillard, Jean-François Lyotard, and Jacques Lacan, and of the French feminists Hélène Cixous and Luce Irigaray. That is the discourse [Douglas] Crimp internalizes, and it came to be lingua artspeak everywhere. Like modernist discourse, it applied to everything, so that there was room for deconstructive and “archeological” discussion of art of every period.

Editor’s Note: This list was drawn in part from a 2014 seminar taught by Debra Bricker Balken in the MFA program in Art Writing at the School of Visual Arts titled Critical Strategies: Late Modernism/Postmodernism. Additional sources can be found here , here , here (paywall), and here . Also relevant are reviews of the 2008 exhibition at the Jewish Museum, “Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940–1976,” notably those by Roberta Smith , Peter Schjeldahl , and Martha Schwendener .

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Essay on My Hobby Painting

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Hobby Painting in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Hobby Painting

Introduction.

Painting is my favorite hobby that I enjoy in my free time. It’s a world of colors where I can express my feelings and thoughts.

Why I Love Painting

I love painting because it helps me relax and disconnect from everyday stress. It’s like a silent conversation between me and my canvas.

My Painting Journey

My journey with painting started when I was young. I started with watercolors, and now I also enjoy acrylics. Each painting I create is a new learning experience.

Painting is more than a hobby for me. It’s my way of expressing creativity and exploring my imagination.

Also check:

• 10 Lines on My Hobby Painting

250 Words Essay on My Hobby Painting

The transformative power of painting.

Painting, an art form that has spanned centuries, has become my most cherished hobby. It is a creative outlet that not only allows me to express my emotions and thoughts but also fosters my cognitive development and enhances my observational skills.

Unveiling Emotions through Colors

The act of painting is a therapeutic journey, a cathartic release of pent-up emotions. It’s a silent conversation between the artist and the canvas, where emotions are translated into strokes of color. I have found that painting provides an avenue to express feelings that words often fail to encapsulate.

Painting as Cognitive Development

Beyond emotional expression, painting stimulates intellectual growth. It demands an understanding of color theory, spatial relationships, and perspective. It encourages problem-solving as one navigates through challenges such as achieving the right tone or capturing the play of light.

Enhancing Observational Skills

Painting has honed my observational skills. It requires a keen eye for detail, an understanding of the interplay of light and shadow, and an appreciation for the subtleties of color. This heightened sense of observation extends beyond the canvas, influencing how I perceive and engage with the world around me.

In conclusion, painting as a hobby is more than just a leisure activity. It is a means of self-expression, a cognitive stimulator, and a tool for enhancing observational skills. It is a journey of self-discovery and personal growth that enriches my life in countless ways.

500 Words Essay on My Hobby Painting

The allure of painting.

Painting, an art form as old as human civilization itself, has been my hobby for as long as I can remember. The allure of the canvas, the dance of the brush, and the vibrant hues of the paint are a sanctuary for my mind, a place where I can explore my thoughts and emotions with unbounded freedom.

Why Painting?

Why painting, one might ask? The answer lies in the versatility and depth of this art form. Painting is not just about splattering colors on a canvas. It’s about creating a world within a frame, a narrative that speaks volumes. It’s about expressing emotions and ideas that words often fail to capture. Painting is a language, a universal medium of communication that transcends cultural and linguistic boundaries.

The Art of Self-Expression

Painting is a medium of self-expression. Every stroke of the brush, every blend of color is a reflection of the artist’s inner world. For me, painting is a cathartic process, a way to channel my feelings and thoughts into a tangible form. It’s a journey of self-discovery, where I learn more about myself with each artwork I create. It’s a mirror that reflects my perceptions, my dreams, and my fears.

Painting as a Learning Tool

Beyond self-expression, painting is also a valuable learning tool. It fosters creativity, enhances observational skills, and encourages critical thinking. It pushes me to look beyond the obvious, to find beauty in the mundane, and to appreciate the intricacies of the world around me. It teaches me patience, perseverance, and the value of hard work. Every painting is a lesson, a story of trial and error, of failures and successes.

The Therapeutic Effects of Painting

Painting has therapeutic effects as well. In today’s fast-paced world, it provides a much-needed escape, a respite from the daily grind. It calms the mind, reduces stress, and promotes mental well-being. It’s a form of mindfulness, a meditative process that helps me stay centered and focused.

Community and Connection

Lastly, painting fosters a sense of community and connection. By sharing my artwork with others, I invite them into my world, sparking conversations and building bridges. It’s a way to connect with people from different walks of life, to understand their perspectives, and to learn from their experiences.

In conclusion, painting is more than just a hobby for me. It’s a passion, a way of life that enriches my existence in countless ways. It’s a journey of exploration, expression, and learning that continues to evolve with each passing day. As I continue to navigate the vast seas of this art form, I look forward to the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on My Hobby Gardening
• Essay on My Hobby Reading Books
• Essay on My Hobby Drawing

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Student Essays

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4 Well Written Essays on Painting & Its Importance [ 2024 ]

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Painting is a constructive art. It is the human passion to draw something out of the heart. Read the following essay that sheds light upon the meaning and purpose of painting, painting as a hobby, and benefits of painting essay for children & students. This essay is quite helpful for children & students for their school exams preparation etc.

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Essay on Painting | Painting as hobby | Types, Purpose & Importance of Painting Essay for Students

Painting is an art form that surfaces images to canvas or other materials by applying paints, pigments, and other mediums. There are several different media used for painting like oils, acrylics, watercolor, etc.

Painting is a beautiful art of colors . It requires creative skills to paint images on canvas or any other surface. There are various stages of painting that include preparing the surface, under-painting or blocking in colors, laying the paint, and blending colors. Additional layers of paint are applied to the surface in order to build up complex colors.

The history lies in cave paintings, which are considered as the first ever paintings. These paintings were done to depict life in those times.   It was then that people realized the power of expression in art. Following are the important types of painting:

• Minimalist paintings
• Abstract expressionism paintings
• Postmodern paintings

Some of the famous painters of the world who made their contribution to art include Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Raphael, Vincent van gogh, Pablo Picasso, etc. Some of the paintings that are famous worldwide include Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, the night watch by Rembrandt, the awakening conscience by Raphael, etc.

Some of the major art galleries of the world include The Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, National Gallery, Tate Modern London, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, National Galleries of Scotland, etc.

Purpose of Painting

Painting is the great colorful depiction of Art . The main functions of paintings are that they can transport you to a different time and place, evoke varied emotions from within the society, provide inspiration to people who love creative arts, etc. Following are the important functions of paintings: –

• To express an idea or a thought
• Beautiful view of nature and objects
• Memories and different emotions associated with the painting
• Helps in relaxation and meditation
• Inspiration for creative people
• Acquisition of knowledge about history, culture etc. through paintings
• Invention of new form-styles and themes
• Aesthetically pleasing paintings and pictures
• Visual learning and knowledge about things around us through photographs.

Joys of Painting

Painting is fun when you don’t give it the kind of importance that you give your studies or any other work. This way it can be enjoyed like a break from your regular stressful routine. Paint whenever you feel like, for no reason at all and see how it helps you unwind.

Painting in Modern Times: Artworks have been produced by computers for a long time now. In the beginning, it was mostly used to generate technical drawings and research papers by scientists and engineers. However, with the advent of digital photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw, artists started using computers to make their paintings look more realistic, to create various effects like colors blending in the air.

Nowadays, many artists use 3D software like Maya and Z-Brush to create their artworks. Maya is used by many 3D animators, video game developers and VFX (Visual effects) artists, etc. Z-Brush is a digital sculpting software which allows artists to create 3D models from scratch.

Benefits of Painting

Painting has been a pleasure.  It has the following benefits: –

• Visual learning and knowledge about things around us through photographs i. Provides inspiration to creative people
• Memories and different emotions

Painting for Children

Painting is a very nice hobby, so students should definitely be encouraged to follow painting. Painting develops the skills of creative thinking and expression which are necessary for everyone.

Painting has been used as a form of art since centuries. Painting has been and will continue to be used as a way to express thoughts and experiences, depict memories and different emotions associated with the painting, provide inspiration to people who love creative arts etc.

There is nothing wrong with painting, if it is done by children. Painting can help them to develop their creativity, imagination and hand-eye coordination. They can even learn to paint by numbers once they are familiar with the various painting tools. Then they can paint on their own. Children don’t waste time while painting, instead they learn to make the best use of their idle time.

Learn to Develop an Interest into Painting

Anyone can learn how to paint. Painting is a very nice hobby that everyone should try at least once in their life.  It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, you can always try your hand at painting.

It is true that some people just naturally seem to be better than others in terms of skill and creativity, but there are many artists who have not even received formal training, yet they paint very beautifully. According to me anyone can learn how to paint.

You should always begin with small canvases, until you get used to handling paints, brushes etc. You should be able-bodied enough to carry out all of your painting activities without getting tired too soon which might lead to your paintings being sloppy. Try different styles and themes. There is no end to creativity and imagination, so don’t limit yourself with a particular style or theme. You can always try your hand at something new.

Essay on Painting My Hobby:

Painting is an activity that I have loved since childhood. It is not just a hobby for me, but also a way to express my creativity and emotions. Whenever I feel stressed or overwhelmed, painting acts as a therapeutic outlet for me. In this essay, I will discuss my love for painting in 200 words.

I remember being fascinated by colors and shapes as a child. I would spend hours drawing and coloring in my sketchbook, creating my own imaginary world. As I grew older, painting became a frequent hobby that I turned to whenever I needed an escape from reality.

What I love most about painting is the freedom it gives me to express myself without any limitations. There are no rules or boundaries when it comes to art, and that is what makes it so special to me. I can use any color, any stroke, and create whatever I want on the canvas.

Apart from being a creative outlet, painting has also taught me patience and perseverance. It takes time and effort to bring an idea or concept to life through art. As I continue to paint, my skills improve, and I am able to create more complex and meaningful pieces.

I have also found solace in painting during difficult times. Whenever I am feeling down or struggling with my emotions, I turn to my paintbrushes and canvas. The process of creating something beautiful from a blank canvas is therapeutic for me.

In conclusion, painting is not just a hobby for me, but an essential part of who I am. It allows me to express myself, relax my mind, and continuously improve my skills. I am grateful for having this hobby, and I hope to continue painting for the rest of my life. So why not pick up a paintbrush and canvas yourself? You never know, you might discover a hidden talent or find peace in this beautiful form of art. Happy painting!

Short Essay on Painting:

Painting is an art form that has been around for centuries, dating back to prehistoric times. It involves using colors and various techniques to create visual representations of objects, people, or landscapes on a surface such as canvas, paper, or walls.

One of the earliest forms of painting was cave paintings, where early humans used natural pigments to depict animals and their surroundings. As time went on, painting evolved and became more refined, with the rise of different techniques such as fresco, oil painting, and watercolor.

Painting has been an integral part of human culture throughout history, with many renowned artists leaving behind a rich legacy of their work. From the iconic works of Leonardo da Vinci and Vincent van Gogh to modern masters like Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock, painting has been a medium for self-expression, storytelling, and social commentary.

Apart from its artistic value, painting also holds significant cultural and historical significance. Many paintings serve as visual records of past events and societal norms, providing insights into different time periods. For example, the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is not only admired for its aesthetic beauty but also serves as a representation of Renaissance ideals and values.

In today’s world, painting continues to be a popular medium for both professional artists and hobbyists alike. With the advent of technology, new forms of painting have emerged, such as digital art and street art. However, traditional painting techniques remain highly valued and continue to inspire new generations of artists.

In conclusion, painting is a timeless art form that has stood the test of time and continues to captivate us with its beauty, complexity, and ability to convey emotions and ideas. It will undoubtedly remain an essential part of human culture for centuries to come.

Paragraph on Painting:

Painting is an art form that has existed for centuries, with evidence of its existence dating back to ancient times. It involves the use of pigments, dyes, or other coloring substances to create images on a surface. This could be on canvas, paper, wood, clay, or even walls. Paintings can range from simple illustrations to complex and detailed works of art.

Throughout history, painting has been used for various purposes. In ancient civilizations, it was primarily used for religious or ceremonial purposes. In the Renaissance period, it became a means of expressing human emotions and ideas. Today, painting is considered a form of self-expression and is widely recognized as a valuable form of art.

One of the most significant aspects of painting is its ability to capture the essence of a moment. It allows the artist to immortalize their thoughts, emotions, and ideas on a canvas or any other surface. Paintings can also serve as a representation of history, culture, and social commentary. They have the power to evoke strong emotions and convey powerful messages.

Painting is not limited to just one style or technique; it is a diverse and ever-evolving form of art. Some famous painting styles include realism, abstract, impressionism, and surrealism. Each style has its unique characteristics and techniques that give the artwork its distinct look.

In today’s digital age, painting is not limited to traditional mediums like oil or acrylic. With advancements in technology, artists are now exploring digital painting and other innovative techniques to create unique and captivating pieces of art. Painting has evolved alongside society, and it continues to be a significant form of artistic expression, reflecting the culture and values of each era. So, it is safe to say that painting will continue to captivate and inspire generations to come.

The power of painting lies in its ability to transcend time and language barriers. It speaks to our collective humanity and allows us to connect with each other through shared emotions and experiences. Whether it is a classic masterpiece or a contemporary work, painting has the power to move, challenge, and inspire us.

In conclusion, painting is not just about creating pretty pictures; it is a profound form of human expression that has stood the test of time. It has played an essential role in shaping our understanding of the world and ourselves. From ancient cave paintings to modern digital art, painting continues to captivate and inspire us, making it a timeless form of art that will continue to hold significance for generations to come.

Q: How do you write an essay about a painting?

A: To write an essay about a painting, start with an introduction, describe the painting, analyze its elements and artistic techniques, and provide your interpretation and insights.

Q: What is painting and its importance?

A: Painting is a visual art form where colors, shapes, and textures are used to create images or convey ideas. It’s important as a means of self-expression, cultural preservation, and communication.

Q: Why is painting important in our life?

A: Painting enriches our lives by offering a creative outlet, preserving history and culture, inspiring emotions, and promoting visual literacy and critical thinking.

Q: What is an introduction to painting?

A: An introduction to painting typically covers the basics, such as color theory, techniques, and materials used in creating visual artworks. It’s the initial step in learning how to paint.

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The Power of Love Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving

By Andreas Matthias

In his book “The Art of Loving” (1956) the psychoanalyst and philosopher Erich Fromm (1900-1980) discusses how love is often wrongly perceived as the passive “falling in love.” For Fromm, love is mainly a decision to love, to become a loving person. Through examination of the concepts of father’s love, mother’s love, God’s love and erotic love, Fromm argues that we need to change the way we see love in order to reach happier and more fulfilling relationships with others.

This article is part of The Ultimate Guide to the Philosophy of Erich Fromm.

If you like reading about philosophy, here's a free, weekly newsletter with articles just like this one: Send it to me!

Read more about Erich Fromm:

Erich Fromm (1900-1980) was a German social psychologist and philosopher who had enormous popular success from the 1950s all the way to the end of his life in 1980. We discuss his work and his relation to Marxism and Freud.

Is love an art?

Erich Fromm found his biggest popular success with a book about love. In “The Art of Loving,” he makes the case that love is often misunderstood as this romantic notion, often seen in movies, of people “falling in love,” of love being something that happens to us without us being able to resist or control the experience. Rather, Fromm says, love is an art . Like any other art, it is something that we have to learn to do: we have to learn and practice love just like we have to learn and practice drawing or playing the piano.

Erich Fromm’s “The Art of Loving” has been a classic in the philosophy and psychology of love since it was first published in 1956. It’s a highly readable, provocative and insightful book that might just change the way you look at love. Amazon affiliate link. If you buy through this link, Daily Philosophy will get a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks!

You can hear the echoes of Aristotle in this. For Aristotle, our whole life is an “art,” in the sense that we constantly have to practice and refine our virtues and our phronesis in order to achieve success and happiness.

Love and responsibility

So just like Aristotle would say that happiness is not just something that “happens,” Fromm would maintain that the same is true of love. If we see love as something that randomly happens to us, we lose the feeling of being responsible for our loves. We could then fall “out of love” as easily as we “fell in love”.

For Fromm, this is a total misunderstanding of what love is about, in the same way as saying that happiness is nothing but the enjoyment of pleasures is a misunderstanding of what happiness is really about.

For Fromm, love is a particular way of relating to others, and my ways of relating to others are in my control, at least potentially. In our (modern, Western) culture, Fromm says, we often think that love is outside of our control, and our languages seem to support this view. We talk of the arrows of Cupid, or love hitting us like…

Here I googled “love hit me like” and this is what Google gave back as suggestions: like a train, like a freight train, like a ten-pound hammer, like a hurricane. Violent metaphors: the lover is powerless, a victim, hit by forces far too powerful to even contemplate resisting.

Aristotle’s theory of happiness rests on three concepts: (1) the virtues; (2) phronesis or practical wisdom; and (3) eudaimonia or flourishing.

But this view also has an opposite side: when our love does not feel like a freight train hitting us, is it therefore less of a love? Do we need to have loves that are like hurricanes and ten-pound hammers, and are we wasting our time with the wrong person if love doesn’t hit us like a truck?

Fromm cautions against both views. Giving up the responsibility that we have for the success of our relationships to others is not a good idea, he says. Grown-up, psychologically well-adjusted persons are those who are in control of their relationships, who understand that human relations need effort and work and that they don’t “just happen”.

In fact, it’s a childish, infantile expectation to be given unconditional love for no good reason and without one’s own contribution. It is what happens to us when we are small and when we experience the love of our mothers: a love that is indeed unconditional and accepting, and for which we don’t need to do anything to deserve it.

But for Fromm, the psychologist, it is obvious that staying in that infantile stage regarding our emotions is wrong. As we grow up we realise that we do have to take responsibility for our relations to others – and that we have to earn our friendships and loves with our own behaviour towards those we befriend and love.

Father’s, mother’s and God’s love

According to Fromm, this is a process that begins with the father, whose love is not unconditional (like that of the mother) but dependent on good manners, good grades in school, helpfulness, intelligence and many other contingent properties of our character and behaviour. It is also, Fromm thinks, no accident that our Christian God is thought of as God the Father, rather than God the Mother.

As feminists have often pointed out, the Christian God is asexual and we should therefore be equally justified in seeing Him/Her as a mother as much as a father. But, Fromm says, there is indeed something specifically “fatherly” about God and that is the conditional character of God’s love. Like with any father’s love, we have to earn God’s love with our behaviour: by abstaining from sin, by obeying His commands, by having the right thoughts and motivations, by being good members of His church.

The Bible contains ample evidence for what we can expect to happen if we don’t prove to be good children to God the father: from being turned into a pillar of salt, or being drowned in a world-wide flood, to being burned alive as fire rains from the heavens, destroying whole cities. The wrathful God, the God of vengeance: this is a father figure, according to Fromm, and the reason that we perceive God as male. The motherly character of God, the unconditionally loving and forgiving, is more often associated with the Virgin Mary (The Art of Loving, Harper Perennial Classics Edition, 2000, pp.60-63)

The Happier Society. Erich Fromm and the Frankfurt School. In this book, philosophy professor, popular author and editor of the Daily Philosophy web magazine, Dr Andreas Matthias takes the reader on a tour, looking at how society influences our happiness. Following Erich Fromm, the Frankfurt School, Aldous Huxley and other thinkers, we go in search of wisdom and guidance on how we can live better, happier and more satisfying lives today. This is an edited and expanded version of the articles published on tis site. Get it now! Click here!

Love as conscious effort

Fromm writes:

[Erotic love] is often confused with the explosive experience of “falling” in love, the sudden collapse of the barriers which existed until that moment between two strangers. But, as was pointed out before, this experience of sudden intimacy is by its very nature short-lived. After the stranger has become an intimately known person there are no more barriers to be overcome, there is no more sudden closeness to be achieved. The “loved” person becomes as well known as oneself. (p.49)

But for Fromm, the will is crucial for true love:

To love somebody is not just a strong feeling – it is a decision, it is a judgement, it is a promise. If love were only a feeling, there would be no basis for the promise to love each other forever. A feeling comes and it may go (…) (p.52)

Perhaps surprisingly, therefore, Fromm sees more potential for true love in arranged marriages than in relationships that are based on the spontaneous feeling of “falling” in love. In contrast to “romantic” love, an arranged relationship already begins without the assumption that there needs to be something that hits one like a freight train – and therefore, the absence of such a feeling is not perceived as a deficit. Rather, the partners in an arranged relationship are fully conscious of the need to actively begin loving each other, since otherwise they will probably have to lead unhappy lives together. In this way, love becomes, from the very beginning, a clear-headed commitment, a judgement, a promise (as Fromm says in the quote above). And this is the reason why such marriages often end up being surprisingly successful.

Robert Sternberg thinks that we can best describe love as composed of three “primary” components that combine to produce all the kinds of love that we observe around us: intimacy, passion and decision or commitment.

Are arranged marriages happier?

Indeed, research seems to suggest that Fromm is right. An article by Applbaum (1995; references at the end of this post) describes arranged marriage in modern, metropolitan Japan. According to that article, 25-30 percent of all marriages in Japan are arranged marriages. In an arranged marriage, the social status of the partners is more similar than in love marriages. Also, the families have a much stronger involvement in the process of finding a suitable partner. (Applbaum, p.39)

Myers et al 2005 quotes research by Yelsma and Athappilly (1988), who studied marriage satisfaction of 28 Indian couples in arranged marriages, 25 Indian couples in “love” marriages (marriages of choice), and 31 American couples in companionate marriages (“companionate marriage” is a marriage where the partners agree to not have children and to divorce if both want to.)

They found that persons in arranged marriages had higher marital satisfaction scores than either the love-married persons in India or the companionate-married persons in the United States. Husbands and wives in arranged marriages were more satisfied with their marital relationships than were the husbands and wives in the U.S. sample.

“Thus, the present findings suggest that contrary to Western beliefs, it is possible that men and women in arranged marriages can be happy and satisfied.” (Myers, p.187)

Leza Kazemi Mohammadi (2019) quotes research by Pryor (2014), who highlighted how arranged marriages experienced a lower level of divorce. Allendorf and Ghimire (2013) found that arranged marriages are typically more stable than love marriages. And wives in love marriages experience a higher level of dissatisfaction in their relationships than that of their arranged marriage counterparts. (Ng, Loy, Gudmunson, and Cheong, 2009).

How to apply The Art of Loving to our own lives

To apply Fromm’s ideas, let’s look at our relationships from a different perspective. Many of us, particularly those who are of a more advanced age, will have made the experience that one cannot stay in the state of “falling in love” forever. There is a point in every relationship, after the initial excitement is gone, where one must consciously decide to have a relationship with that particular person and to work towards creating and deepening this relationship.

But we don’t always recognise that the conscious control we have over love extends not only to whom we love but also to whom we choose to resist. Falling inappropriately in love with one’s student, colleague or babysitter makes for interesting novels, but Fromm would not let this spontaneous lust serve as an excuse to endanger a long-term relationship.

And for the young, who have not yet found a suitable partner, Fromm’s view of love provides a better option than just waiting around for the freight train to hit. One must realise that our relationships, Fromm maintains, are the consequence of our choices and actions – and that therefore, instead of passively waiting for love to hit, one can go out and make the commitment to become a loving person. As with the modes of having and being , the switch from being the passive recipient of love (as we are initially as infants) to being the active giver of love is a fundamental change in the way we view life, a stage in a life-long process of growing up towards personal integrity, freedom and responsibility as adults who have the means to consciously work towards securing their happiness in life.

Book summary: Main themes in Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving

Understanding the concept of love.

Love is a concept that has puzzled humanity for centuries. Fromm begins by challenging conventional notions of love, arguing that it is not simply a feeling or an emotion, but rather an art that requires knowledge, effort, and dedication. He believes that love is an active practice, an ongoing commitment to understanding and nurturing the relationships in our lives.

Fromm draws on psychological and philosophical perspectives to shed light on the multifaceted nature of love. He explores the various dimensions of love, including self-love, brotherly love, erotic love, and the connection between love and freedom. Through his analysis, Fromm demonstrates that love is not limited to romantic relationships but encompasses a broader spectrum of human connections.

The four elements of love according to Fromm

Fromm proposes four essential elements that form the foundation of love: care, responsibility, respect, and knowledge.

Care , he argues, is the fundamental attitude of love, as it involves actively nurturing and supporting the well-being of the other person.

Responsibility emphasizes the need to take ownership of our actions and choices in love, recognizing that love requires effort and commitment.

Respect plays a crucial role in Fromm’s concept of love, as it entails treating others as autonomous individuals, acknowledging their unique needs and desires. And finally,

Knowledge refers to the deep understanding and awareness of the other person, allowing us to connect on a profound level. Fromm’s four elements of love provide a comprehensive framework for cultivating and sustaining meaningful relationships.

The role of self-love in the art of loving

Fromm emphasizes the importance of self-love as a prerequisite for healthy relationships. He argues that unless we love ourselves, we cannot fully love others. Self-love involves accepting and appreciating ourselves, embracing both our strengths and weaknesses. It requires self-awareness and the willingness to prioritize our own well-being.

Fromm cautions against narcissism, highlighting the distinction between healthy self-love and selfishness. He encourages us to cultivate a deep sense of self-worth and compassion, recognizing that we are deserving of love and capable of giving it to others. By developing a strong foundation of self-love, we can approach relationships from a place of wholeness and contribute to their growth and fulfillment.

Fromm’s perspective on the challenges of modern love

Fromm aptly addresses the challenges that modern society poses to the art of loving. He argues that the commodification of love, fueled by consumerism and superficiality, has distorted our understanding of authentic connections.

In a world driven by instant gratification and shallow relationships, Fromm urges us to resist the allure of superficial love and strive for deeper, more meaningful connections.

Moreover, he explores the impact of societal structures and cultural norms on our ability to love. Fromm contends that capitalism, for instance, perpetuates a sense of isolation and competition, hindering our capacity for genuine love. By shedding light on these societal challenges, Fromm invites us to question and transcend the limiting beliefs that hinder our ability to love authentically.

Practical tips for cultivating love in everyday life

Fromm recognizes that love is not merely an abstract concept but a daily practice. He offers practical tips and suggestions for cultivating love in our everyday lives. These include fostering open communication, practicing empathy and active listening, and prioritizing quality time with our loved ones.

Fromm also emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and personal growth in the art of loving. By continuously examining our own beliefs and behaviors, we can identify areas for improvement and work towards becoming more loving individuals. Fromm’s practical guidance serves as a roadmap for nurturing love in all its forms.

Critiques and controversies surrounding “The Art of Loving”

As with any influential work, “The Art of Loving” has not been without its share of critiques and controversies. Some argue that Fromm’s emphasis on self-love neglects the importance of sacrifice and compromise in relationships.

Others question the universal applicability of Fromm’s concepts, suggesting that cultural and contextual factors may shape our understanding and experience of love.

Still, Fromm’s teachings have resonated with readers worldwide, influencing popular culture and societal attitudes towards love. His emphasis on authentic connections and the transformative power of love has served as a catalyst for personal growth and introspection, empowering individuals to cultivate more meaningful relationships.

Return to The Ultimate Guide to the Philosophy of Erich Fromm.

Here are the papers mentioned in the text. They are all freely available through Google Scholar on the Internet:

Applbaum, K. D. (1995). Marriage with the proper stranger: Arranged marriage in metropolitan Japan. Ethnology, 34(1), 37-51.

Leza Kazemi Mohammadi (2019). The Levels Of Satisfaction Between Love And Arranged Marriages: A Comparative Study. Dissertation. Texas Women’s University. Available online.

Madathil, J., & Benshoff, J. M. (2008). Importance of marital characteristics and marital satisfaction: A comparison of Asian Indians in arranged marriages and Americans in marriages of choice. The Family Journal, 16(3), 222-230.

Myers, J. E., Madathil, J., & Tingle, L. R. (2005). Marriage satisfaction and wellness in India and the United States: A preliminary comparison of arranged marriages and marriages of choice. Journal of Counseling & Development, 83(2), 183-190.

• Homepage: andreasmatthias.com
• Amazon author page.
• Google Scholar entry .

Andreas Matthias on Daily Philosophy:

• The Paradox of Fiction. Why are we scared by things that don’t exist?
• The Most Hated Philosopher: Spinoza on God. Philosophy in Quotes
• Plato’s Symposium - Part 1. An introduction
• Erich Fromm on the Psychology of Capitalism. Our world is turning us into mass products. We should resist
• To Have Or to Be. Erich Fromm on two different ways of living one’s life
• Aldous Huxley’s “Island”. An even braver new world?

Cover photo by Ryan Quintal on Unsplash.

Painting Essay

Introduction

While there are people who find peace in seeing the beautiful nature outside, there are also a few who find satisfaction in capturing this beauty in their paintings. Even though it is easy to draw something you see, it is sometimes difficult to understand the meaning behind a painting. Such is the depth and value of a painting, and this painting essay example will be ideal for your kids to write about painting.

Due to its simple and narrative format, this painting essay will be easy for your kids to understand. The essay is so easy to read that children will be able to create one on this topic effortlessly. Here is an essay on a painting I made.

Experience in Painting

It was during my 7th birthday that my parents gifted me with a set of paints and paintbrushes. Since I was young, I have had a liking for drawing and painting, and it was due to my artistic talent that my parents decided to give me this painting set. Of all the gifts that I have received, this one was extremely special for me. The moment I unwrapped the gift, I began mixing colours and dabbing them on paper. And the sheer sight of colours filled me with great joy.

In the beginning, I began painting things that I saw around me; sometimes, it was beautiful scenery or a particular incident, such as a boy helping an elderly man cross the road. Although my paintings were not perfect, I was happy that I could capture such memorable moments through my art. Slowly, I perfected the art by painting from my imagination and seeing things from a different perspective. I would like to highlight an incident in this essay on a painting I made.

My school organised a painting competition in connection with Republic Day, and I took part in it. Excitedly, I grabbed my painting tools and started painting an alluring landscape. I utilised the paper to paint a burning sunset at the top, glistening waters in the middle and lush greenery at the bottom. As the lines disappeared, the picture felt like a single landscape that depicted the colours of the Indian flag. Satisfied with my painting, I submitted it to the judges, and they applauded me for my creativity. The fact that I was able to show something meaningful through the painting filled me with happiness, and it was the greatest achievement that I have had so far.

Moral of the Essay

Painting is an art through which our children express themselves, and we cannot imagine how far their thoughts will go. While many of them will not have a natural skill in painting, as elders, we must ensure that we encourage the gifted children to practise painting and refine their art. This painting essay from BYJU’S shows that if we support the dreams and talents of children, they will surely go a long way. As such, they will stop doubting themselves and, in fact, believe that they can create wonders through painting.

For essays similar to the drawing essay, visit BYJU’S website. You can also find an exciting range of kids’ learning resources, such as short stories, poems, worksheets, etc., on the website.

Is painting a good hobby for children?

Children have varied interests, and if you think that they love art and painting, it will be good to buy paints, brushes and paper. While painting as a hobby will help them relax and enjoy, it will also develop their imaginative and creative skills as well as improve their hand-eye coordination.

How to improve your child’s painting skills?

Even though it is good to introduce them to painting at an early age, we must not overfill their plates. First, give them small canvases and let them learn how to mix colours to form new ones. Once they are familiar with colours, give specific topics or themes to paint. Also, present them with different types of paintings, like watercolour painting, oil painting, acrylic painting, etc.

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An Essay on My Favorite Hobby is Painting [PDF]

So you love painting right? great, in today’s essay presentation we are covering an essay topic on my favourite hobby is painting, just for you. I hope you like it!

Painting has been a hobby I have embraced for quite some time. Ever since I took the paintbrush and just crafted something on paper, I have never looked back on it. Painting has been a hobby that gives me joy because I can draw my imaginations into an art piece and make the best out of it.

In my own free time, I find peace in painting and looking back to how I spend my leisure, and it has undoubtedly been worth it. My paintings have been quite inspiring to my friends and me as they are mostly of issues in life. Once I sat down and set my mind on a painting, I tend to get into the brush itself and paint just as how I view the inspiration.

As people look for hobbies to engage in, there are certain benefits they look forward to reaping in it. Painting as a hobby has been a great way to relax. In life, I encounter challenges and various stumbling blocks.

I look for my escape in painting so that I can breathe and think about my issues in my own space. When I get challenges instead of overthinking, I tend to draw my energy into painting because the brush has a vibe with me.

I can breathe and paint, and after crafting my art, I feel at peace and relax because I put my focus and think peacefully about the matter. My friends have seen me paint when I am having issues, and they tend to note the tone of my painting reflects my mood because I paint based on issues of life.

Through hard work and the fact that I have learned the skill in painting my confidence has certainly improved. I have often showcased my work to those close to me and several exhibitions, not for sale but for the exchange of compliments.

Through the applaud of the excellent work I get in this hobby, my confidence in handling issues has undoubtedly improved.

Fear of being not good at things has indeed escaped my mind because I see myself worthy of handling matters since I realized that I am a good painter, yet it’s just a hobby I embraced over the years as I was looking for sound therapy.

Getting positive, positive vibes and acknowledgement have indeed built and moulded me to perfect my craft in painting and life.

Painting requires you to be open-minded about how you will go about crafting the perfect art piece. It has undoubtedly helped me be open about how I view my imagination so that I can paint and make the best in my paintings.

I do not articulate my mind on how the painting is supposed to be, but instead, just let my brush and my hand drive and inspire the painting.

In life, this has enabled me to have an open mind on handling issues and become a listener, just like how I listen to my brush. It has helped me become more of a listener and not a complainer on matters.

I have been able to reason with others just like how I can now correctly reason as I paint to make the right curves with my brush. I do not fix myself in because I am not perfect but instead listen and have an open mind to accommodate the thoughts of others.

Painting has enabled me to open up my mind and accommodate other inspirations as I also draw other masterpieces to paint perfectly.

While painting, I have come to appreciate various cultures and diversities of life. As I paint, I can include multiple cultures and ways of life through which people have lived and understand the difference between them and me.

I have learned quite a lot through various pieces of paint canvases as people paint in themes of life which have been my focus. It has enabled me to relate well with people as I understand them better through painting and getting to know their ways and reasons behind their cultures.

How was the essay on my favourite hobby is painting? Please share your thoughts on the comment section.

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Short Essay on My Hobby – Painting

Category: Essays and Paragraphs On January 19, 2019 By Ananda

I love to talk about my hobby, painting, any chance I get. I believe painting is a wonderful talent to have. It is a skill for which talent is pre-requisite. You can learn how to hold a brush and which colours to mix. But true artistry is nothing without talent . I was quite relieved when my talent for painting was discovered by my teachers.

I attended a fine arts school to try my luck with the arts. I had been painting on my own, but I was driven by my ambition to become a good painter. In my final year at the school, I was given the task of presenting five paintings for my thesis. It was the hardest decision of my life to figure out what I would choose to paint. Certain thought and preparation are behind every painting that is claimed as an inspirational work of art. I learned this through struggle and resilience.

Painting is also calming, you can let the brush take over and guide you where it wants. Sometimes a Jackson Pollock painting makes sense to your brain, whereas sometimes you crave a nostalgic scenery done by Van Gogh. Painting can convey the depth and complexity of human consciousness which can’t be conveyed through words. It is for this reason that the patronage of art is very important.

Many rulers of Medieval India believed art made life worth living. They were famous for their patronage of art, music and literature. It is because of this patronage that we have a record of that time-period preserved in paintings and murals. Documentation is possible through painting because a picture is worth a thousand words. The painting also enables us to take a stance on important issues. Contemporary artist Banksy is famous for his socio-politically charged paintings. He conveys his freedom of expression through his unique style of paintings.

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Study Today

Largest Compilation of Structured Essays and Exams

My Hobby Drawing – Essay on My Hobby Drawing in English for Students

May 23, 2020 by Leya Leave a Comment

Table of Contents

My Hobby Drawing – Essay 1

When I was 5 years old, I loved to play with colors. I always used to use my elder sister’s pencil colors. Since then, my love for drawing and painting has increased. Everyone has some kind of habit and hobbies, and in my opinion, everyone should have hobbies. There are lots of benefits of hobbies. It gives freedom to express. It gives wings to the creator. It can be a stress bursting.

Essay on my Hobby : My favourite hobby drawing

As I mentioned above, my hobby of drawing started when I was 5. At first, I was just using colors to paint. I used just to draw some random pictures. I used to draw something every day. That is how I developed my drawing skills. I used to take part in various competitions. I was very interested in taking part in multiple events. I won lots of medals, trophies, and certificates by taking participate in these kinds of competitions and events. Apart from that, when I improved my skill, I started painting for others. I used to draw for my friends, cousins, and family members. I used to participate in school events. I was popular among my friends in my school days. Everyone wanted to make drawing for them. It gave me more motivation to do something new and to upgrade my skill.

Why do I love drawing?

I love drawing because it gave me respect. It made me popular among my friends. One of the major reasons why I love drawing because it gives me wings to fly. I can draw anything which is in my mind. I can express my thoughts through drawing. I draw various things. I draw for a social cause. I draw about the current situation. I love drawing because I can speak through my drawing and painting without uttering a word. I love drawing because this hobby is my favorite timepass. I draw in every mood. It helps me put my emotions on the canvas. Whenever I feel low or sad, I just put my sketchbook out from the cupboard and start drawing anything, whatever in my mind. People call it freestyle painting, it means without any purpose. After that, I feel very satisfied.

Benefits of Drawing

There is no particular benefit of drawing. But if we talk, there are many. There are several benefits of drawing, which I will be mentioning below.

It develops fine motor skills. Any specialized movement of hand, wrist, and fingers are included in fine motor skills. As an adult, you rely more on these fine motor skills whenever you type, write, drive, or even when you text on mobile. Holding and manipulating writing implements represent one of the best ways to improve fine motor skills. The drawing creates immediate visual feedback. That depends on what kind of writing instrument the child is holding.

It encourages visual analysis. Children don’t understand the concepts that you take for granted. Such as distance, size, color, or textural differences. Drawing offers the perfect opportunity for your child to learn these concepts. It helps children to get knowledge about fundamental visuals. To support this fundamental visual, give small projects to your children on an everyday basis. Which will help them get the difference between near and far, fat and thin, big and small, etc.?

It helps establish concentration. Most children enjoy drawing. this activity provides time to establish concentration. It helps children to concentrate. It helps children to practice drawing and eventually, it helps children to concentrate. It helps children observe small details.

It helps improves hand-eye concentration. In addition to improving fine motor skills, drawing enables your child to understand the connection between what they see and what they do. This hand-eye coordination is important in athletic and academic scenarios such as penmanship lessons, as well as in recreational situations. For a hand-eye coordination boost, have your child draw an object while looking at it or copy a drawing that you made.

It increases individual confidence. As a parent or guardian, you probably love to hear what your child has made new today. He or she gains confidence. When your child has an opportunity to create physical representations of his or her imagination, thoughts, and experiences. Drawing can help your child feel more intrinsic motivation and validity. This will make him or her more confident in other areas that may not come as naturally as drawing.

It teaches creative problem-solving. Drawing encourages your child to solve problems creatively, Along with visual analysis and concentration. When they draw, your child must determine the best way to connect body parts, portray emotions, and depict specific textures. Always Provide specific drawing tasks, such as creating a family portrait, and talk about your child’s color, method, or special choices that can help him or her develop stronger problem-solving skills over time.

Drawing events

As I mentioned, I loved taking part in the competition. When competing in the event, I used to meet many more talented people. It motivated me.  I have lots of painter friends now. Whenever I get stuck in the painting, they help me. When I used to participate, I won lots of medals and trophies. It motivated me a lot, too. Several drawing and painting events are happening every day across the world. I used to take part in most of the interschool and state-level competition. I used to take part in online events, too. It helped me know what kind of talents are there in the world.

My future in drawing

I will try to continue my drawing skills in the future also. I am learning more skills related to painting. I am currently focusing on graphic designing and doodling. The world is moving towards digitalization. That is the reason I am trying my hands there too. There is many things to learn from now. I am looking forward to doing that. Moreover, I am very excited.

In the end, I want to add that everyone should have one hobby. It helps a lot in daily life. It helps to build your social image.

My Hobby Drawing – Essay 2

Drawing is something I enjoy doing in my free time and it is my favourite hobby. Although I love to dance and sing, drawing has a special place in my heart.

When I was in kindergarten, my teacher drew a rose on the blackboard using a few simple shapes. I was surprised that it is so easy to create a rose on paper. I tried drawing it in my book and was really very happy when the little triangles I drew started resembling the flower. That was when I started enjoying drawing.

I understood that all complex images can be drawn by breaking them down into simple shapes. I used to follow instructions from children’s magazines on how you can improve your drawing. Recently, my sister has introduced me to YouTube drawing tutorials. Through these videos, I have learnt to draw beautiful Disney princesses and different types of fruits.

Colour Pencils, Crayons, and Oil Pastels

I was taught to use crayons and pencil colours during art classes in school. Later, I started using oil pastels, as these colours are much brighter than the others. Oil pastels add a special colour pop to the painting and these are easy to use, like crayons. There are several artists in the world who specialise in painting with oil pastels. These works of art also look like oil paintings.

The Motivation to Draw

I feel very happy when I complete a painting and my friends admire my work. My teacher has told me that I am very good at colouring. She has also encouraged me to participate in several drawing competitions as a representative of the school. So I take great pleasure in saying that my hobby is drawing.

One of my biggest sources of inspiration is my mother, who draws like a professional artist! She uses watercolours in most of her paintings. I have recently started using watercolours and I feel it is a lot of fun working with this medium.

The beauty of the colours blending into each other cannot be easily expressed in words. I have used watercolours to paint sunsets and to make abstract paintings. I prefer to use the colours in the tube, rather than the watercolour cakes.

Drawing Events

There are several drawing events that people follow these days. Inktober is an annual event where an artist creates one ink drawing each day for the whole month of October. The drawings will be based on prompts that are decided before the event. Artists display their work on social media and other forums for comments and criticisms.

I am looking forward to participating in Inktober this year. It will be fun to see the different drawings that people come up with for the same prompt.

My Future in Drawing

I intend to continue learning new drawing techniques like mandala art, doodling, and oil painting. There is so much to learn out there, and I am excited to try them all! My mother has promised me that she would enrol me into some painting classes where I can improve my skills in my hobby, drawing. I understand that practise is crucial here, and I should try to draw at least one illustration per day to improve my work.

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Guest Essay

Passover’s Radical Message Is More Vital Than Ever

By Shai Held

Rabbi Held is the president and dean of the Hadar Institute, which he co-founded, and the author of “Judaism Is About Love,” from which this essay is adapted.

What do we do with our pain? What, if anything, can we learn from it?

The Bible offers a startling and potentially transformative response: Let your memory teach you empathy and your suffering teach you love.

This week, Jews around the world will mark the beginning of Passover. We’ll gather for Seders, in which we’ll re-enact the foundational story of the Jewish people, the Exodus from Egypt. For Judaism, a religion preoccupied with remembering the past, no memory is more fundamental than the experience of having been slaves to a tyrant and having been redeemed from his murderous clutches by God.

Such a memory, for some, may seem impossible to summon now, in a time of so much trauma and devastation. But it is critical to remember the Exodus precisely at moments of horror and pain because it is the ultimate reminder that the present moment need not be the final stage of history. The status quo, no matter how intransigent, can and must be overturned. Further, we are meant not just to remember our suffering but also to grow in empathy as a result.

The Bible’s emphasis on empathy is particularly poignant in this agonized moment, when Israelis and Palestinians, two utterly traumatized peoples, are so overcome with grief and indignation that they can barely see each other at all. And yet if there is to one day be a different sort of future in the blood-soaked Holy Land, both peoples will need to do precisely that: to hear each other’s stories and histories, to listen to and bear witness to each other’s suffering. The revolution in empathy I am describing is urgently necessary to remember precisely now, when it seems so utterly out of reach.

The recollection of slavery and redemption has important theological and spiritual ramifications. We are meant to live with a sense of gratitude and indebtedness to the God who set us free. We are asked to recall — year after year — that we moved from serving a cruel human master who sought only to humiliate and tear us down to worshiping a loving divine master who blesses us and seeks our well-being. We are called to empathize with those who are exposed and endangered in the present, having ourselves been defenseless in the past.

“You shall not oppress a stranger,” the Book of Exodus teaches, “for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.” You know what mistreatment feels like, Exodus says, and therefore you should never inflict it upon anyone else.

Leviticus takes this further. “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens,” it tells us. “You shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Leviticus envisions something radical: a society that actively loves and seeks the welfare of its most vulnerable members.

There are longstanding debates in the Jewish tradition about precisely what loving our neighbor entails, but one thing is clear: The love we owe to our neighbor we owe to the stranger among us, too.

There is nothing obvious about this teaching, particularly in a moment when fear and anger threaten to suppress any hint of compassion.

Suffering can teach us love, but all too often we let it teach us apathy and indifference — or, worse, unbridled rage and hostility. Our afflictions harden us, turn our focus stubbornly inward, make our most aggressive impulses seem both necessary and justified. We come to feel entitled: I was oppressed, and no one championed my cause; I don’t owe anything to anyone. But the Bible encourages us to take the opposite tack: I was oppressed, and no one came to my aid; therefore I will never abandon someone vulnerable or in pain.

Many people who have suffered terribly, whether personally or politically, hear both voices in our heads and have both impulses in our hearts. One voice tells us that the pain we have endured (or are enduring) frees us from responsibility to and for others — justifies our fixating on ourselves — while another voice insists that our suffering must teach us to care more and more deeply for others. Through the mandate to love the stranger, the Bible commands us to nurture the latter impulse rather than the former, to let our suffering teach us love.

At a moment like this, the mandate to love the stranger can seem to be speaking to broad and intractable geopolitical conflicts, and in fact, it is, but it also addresses us personally, at the most intimate levels. I know both these voices only too well. Having lost my father as a child and been left alone with a mother who lacked the emotional tools to parent any child, let alone a grieving one, I struggle at times with feeling entitled to ignore other people’s pain and care for just my own. And yet — having experienced aloneness, abandonment and abuse — I also feel an intensified sense of empathy for and responsibility toward those who are alone, abandoned or abused. It is this impulse that the Bible seeks to nurture in me and in each of us.

This week, when we retell the Exodus story, we must remember its implications: Since we know vulnerability, the plight of the vulnerable — whether among our own kin or among those who do not look or pray or speak like us — makes an especially forceful claim on us.

The commandment to do this work is both individual and communal; it is, on the one hand and at various points in the Bible, very much specific to Jews. But on the other hand, it is fundamental to the heritage of human civilization, and thus it addresses every person and every people who hear it. Perhaps, having suffered, you are tempted to learn indifference or even hate. Refuse that temptation. Let your memory teach you empathy and your suffering teach you love.

To tell the story of our past is always also to internalize an ethical injunction for our present and our future: to love the stranger, for we know what it feels like to be a stranger — we know the vulnerability, the anxiety and the loneliness — having ourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.

Shai Held is the president and dean of the Hadar Institute, which he co-founded, and the author of “Judaism Is About Love,” from which this essay was adapted.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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