Dusk, Maxfield Parrish, 1942.
We seek and find beauty in the arts, in everyday objects and frequently in nature.
The philosopher Roger Scruton believes there is a great reason why humans have, with great effort, pursued creating and experiencing beauty throughout time.
“Through the pursuit of beauty, we shape the world as a home, and in doing so, we both amplify our joys and find consolation for our sorrows.”
What Beauty Does
“Beauty suspends the desire to be elsewhere.”
Beauty captivates our attention and stops our busy scattered stream of thoughts.
Momentarily transfixed, we dwell in harmony and stillness or reflection, insight and wonder.
“Art and beauty are about that inner resonance. Some inexplicable reaction stops us, and we find ourselves connected with something other than ourselves.”
Every day there are opportunities to encounter beauty if only we would slow down and tune into the world around us.
Like soft green light streaming through the leaves of a tree or a gorgeous unexpected flaming sunset one ordinary evening as we exit the supermarket into the usually drab parking lot.
In that beauty-saturated moment, we experience transcendence.
And when we linger and savour that moment, we store away a profoundly enriching experience.
Dresden at Sunset, Carl Gustav Carus, 1822.
As creators, we strive to capture and give form to the beautiful moments and things we encounter.
In addition, we aim to gift our audience an experience of beauty.
Moments of beauty feed and nourish our creativity in so many ways.
So resist the urge to whizz on to the next thing.
Instead, pause, linger and deeply savour that moment of beauty
The Eternal Quest for Beauty
“The idea of the beautiful is the longest-standing theory of aesthetics around, and for a reason, it feeds us.”
Lascaux Cave Painting.
When we accept the call to bring beauty into the world, we join a long line of people who have pursued beauty and made beautiful things from the dawn of time.
Although it's never easy to make beautiful things, as committed creators, this is our quest, challenge, and the deeper purpose and meaning of why we create.
And how beauty is communicated and expressed in our artwork will be unique to our creative voice and vision.
The Boat That Passes, Emile Claus, Belgium, 1893.
But if we develop the habit of noticing, lingering and savouring encounters with beauty, we will consistently enrich our inner world.
Beauty will become a source of inspiration for our creativity.
“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.”
Fayum Mummy Portrait, Roman Egypt, 3rd Century.
And on tough days, remember that our creative work is also a positive contribution to the vast, ancient interconnected web of human creativity.
When we accept the call to create beautiful work, we join a long lineage of creative predecessors who pursued beauty from the dawn of time and continue to enrich the world with their beautiful creations.
Don't dismiss or doubt your creative voice and vision.
Instead, accept the call now, for the world always needs more heartfelt beauty.
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