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Spirited Art for Art’s Sake

Everything in this universe is an extension and expression of one true source. That creative source energy is an amazing artist in itself to have created this entire universe. We, as an extension of that energy, are all artists as well. We are all born with an ability to create and spread beauty. We all have the desire to manifest our inner beauty and celebrate and share it with the fellow souls around us.

But we can’t let external influences deter us from what comes truly from our hearts. We can’t expect to manifest true art when we are trying to supply the demand; we can’t make real art if we make it from the motivation of pleasing others and with a price tag at the back our minds. In an essay, Oscar Wilde wrote:

“A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament. Its beauty comes from the fact that the author is what he is. It has nothing to do with the fact that other people want what they want. Indeed, the moment that an artist takes notice of what other people want, and tries to supply the demand, he ceases to be an artist, and becomes a dull or an amusing craftsman, an honest or a dishonest tradesman. He has no further claim to be considered as an artist.”

This attitude takes a lot of “pluck”, the courage to rise to the occasion of who one is, upon which art is naturally expressed. When there is a family to feed, rent and bills to pay, it is the pluck that impassions the artist to remain an artist.

The celebrated author Kurt Vonnegut wrote this in a letter to a group of high school students:

“Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow.”

We express our souls through our art to share and celebrate the beauty that the source energy imbued within us, and thus make our souls grow and thus get one step closer to the Creator.

Like the one source created us and gave us a piece of its soul and life force, we create art and give it a piece of our soul and a life of its own. This life wants to go out in the world and bring about happiness and joy into the lives of others. But when an artist puts a price tag on an artwork, this life force gets restricted right at the gateway of entering the world.

There are a lot of people who don’t have the beauty of art in their houses, because the life that is art that they would like to have in their homes is restricted to only those who can pay high prices for it.

All art is beautiful, but some art would speak to some people more than to others. If a piece of art inspires beauty in somebody’s heart wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could have it in their home? Nothing in life that is worth having is free, but I say, “Let not the artist, but the beholder of art determine the value the art inspires in them, let the living art arouse its own value in the heart of the beholder – Trust in Art.” So if you see any art on this site that your heart has a desire for, just express to me how much you want to value it and it is yours. Its beauty awaiting the picking and just as you would take care and respect in plucking a flower from the forest floor, take the same respect as you pluck your art’s desire from this site.

If by chance more than one person wants the same piece of art, I will decide to whom it goes, not based on price, but based on where I feel the art is more strongly being called to.

Spread the beauty and make art with a “Pluck” – If you are an artist and would like to join me in this celebration of allowing art to flow into the world, drop me a line. I want to extend an invitation to my fellow artists to come and join me and make Art for Art’s Sake.

-Srishti Wilhelm