Who's Afraid of Art?

Art is a vital part of human history.

Before we could write, we made pictures on cave walls, making them prettier and illustrating our stories. Humans, for our entire history, have made things we enjoy looking at and working with and we call it art. 

Art has changed and continues to change over time, from reflecting the world around us before the invention of the camera to interpreting emotions through abstraction. Art can be intimidating, especially in a museum. But art is part of what makes us human. Art shows us our connections to each other and deepens our understanding of other perspectives.

Learning how to look at art can take away the fear it can cause. 

When looking at art, there are a few things to consider before the context of the object. What is it made of? How big is it? Is it representing something you can identify? Is it using line, color, light, or texture in an interesting way? Does it make you feel something? You don't have to know art history or the context of a piece to feel some way about it.

One of the pieces in our gallery now is The Last Good Lake Day In September by Pamela Beach. Looking at this work, you can see it's big: 96 in by 144 in. It takes up a lot of space on the wall in front of you. This alone can be intimidating, encompassing your senses as you get close to it. 

Lake Day is representational; you can see two figures in their boats with their paddles. You can see the expressions on their faces, the actions they are doing. You can see the water and what's in the water. The fish in the water are done in a different style than the people, but they still represent fish. Can you identify what kinds of fish are there?

The colors of Lake Day are bright. There are bright blues, greens, and pinks. There is texture in the paint. How does the texture differ between the people, the background, and the fish in the water?

Lastly, ask yourself: what does Lake Day make you feel? Does it feel hopeful, optimistic, happy? Is there nostalgia in how the fish are painted? Do you feel unsettled by the anglerfish? There is no right way to feel about art. It could anger you, make you sad, happy, or uncomfortable. It could just be pretty to look at, something you enjoy seeing. Looking at and thinking about art just a little bit is a practice that can help you see yourself, your own creativity, and your connection to other artists and people. Art can make you see other perspectives and interpretations of the world you are so familiar with and can make the world feel full of possibility. Looking at art can connect you to humanity. 

The next time you come in, Don’t be afraid to look at something and think a little bit about the size, colors, textures, and meaning to you. Don’t be afraid to come up with your own ideas about what you see. Don’t be afraid of art.