Day 393: On simplifying

Hmmm, well. I guess I'm not very good at it... I think this is going to be one of those "work on it a little every day" kind of things.
Like a masterpiece!
Only possibly less important for humankind.
Speaking of masterpieces: it has come to my attention more in recent years than ever before in my life that art is not important to everyone.  Some people just don't like it, get it, want to get it. Some people think it's a frivolous hobby for artists to paint, make things, write, create music, what have you.

I disagree.
Completely disagree.

I think that people who are artists (I being one of those people who like to 'create') NEED their crafts, they need to create. There is a bond between their brain and their hands that only works when the artist is creating something. Even if it's typing, or plucking madly at a banjo, or looking crazy with paint spatter all over and a brush in one hand with a clenched other hand and a universal "stranger in my thoughts" look in the eyes. For some people, this act of creating is directly linked to our brains and how we relate to the rest of the world.

I see the importance on the other side too. When I see art that speaks to me (like Robert Rauschenberg's Minutiae (1954) or Spread (1983), something happens in MY brain: the world suddenly makes more sense. And for someone who is constantly obsessing over making things make sense, I kind of have a direct NEED for art - I need things that make those connections for me, or that allow my brain to make the connections that let me make sense of things.

So when I, as I have recently, come to understand that some people don't have any reaction at all to art and are in fact even annoyed that it even exists, that people actually spend money on it and on perpetuating it through the generations (teaching kids about art), I actually don't understand it at all.
I don't understand not understanding art.
I don't understand the lack of need for art in any capacity.
Just because I have such a feeling of need for it.
And it really points out to me that even though we are all human and we all have wants and we all have needs - we are all so very different.
Which is perturbing, and it makes life very hard, and it's why I understand the hermit mentality. But it certainly does add color to the pallet of our lives.


Link of the Day: Just check it out - don't judge.
http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2012-04-05/jonah-lehrer-how-creativity-works