Art Touches the Soul

Wall at Marigold Elementary school- artist Meredith Timpson

   
     One of the things I struggled with when I was first coming to the realization and decision that I was "an artist", was the question of, "What good will any of this bring?" I wanted to know that all the time and energy I was putting into my pieces was going to result in something other than lack of sleep or being a garage hermit. (My mosaic studio is in the garage. I spend a lot of time in the garage.) Peace and assurance came to me one day when I noticed just how much I am affected when I see a piece of art that reaches my soul. When I see a piece of art whose textures and colors are richly varied, unexpected, and come together with a sort of harmony that was always meant to be, there is a moment when my heart skips a beat, my breath is taken if but briefly, and I am reminded once again of the beauty found in this life. For me, many mosaics, some oil paintings, certain watercolor paintings, and all sunsets (artist's name: God) move me in that way. When I am reminded of beauty, I commune once again with the Maker of beauty, and, for me, that brings me back to my place of rest. Art is a big deal.
    I have been immensely humbled a few times by being on the artist-end of the soul-touched viewer of one of my mosaics. You can see it when someone is moved by a piece. They linger. They study intensely as if they couldn't believe their eyes. Sometimes they talk outloud to themselves and yet, it is as if they are having this conversation with the piece itself. Almost like the art understands who they are as a person and they have just made a new soul-mate. I know it has nothing to do with me. Yeah, I made it. But 100 people before that person walked right past that piece and did not react that way. The planet has 7 billion people, all uniquely different. It is a good thing there are so many artists creating so many different kinds of art because not one of those 7 billion people are identical. More art means more people will have a chance to find beauty, comfort, inspiration, and healing.
   My mother is an artist and I can use her as an example to make my point beautifully. My mother, Linda Smith ( http://www.lindacsmithfineart.com/ ) is also a mosaic artist (and painter, sculpter, writer, photographer, cook, green-thumb....the amazing list goes on). She was asked to do a commission of two large mosaics for the ICU floor of a new hospital wing in the Bay Area in California. Some months after the installation she received an email from a man who had had a family member in the ICU there at that hospital. It seems that during the time he spent pacing the floor waiting for word on his family member who was in the ICU, he had noticed her mosaics. In particular he stopped in front of one titled "End of Day". Here is what he said in his email to her:

"…I was immediately taken in and felt such an amazing sense of peace rush over me. It was perfect timing. The colors and the depth of the tiles were so captivating and I couldn't stop staring at all the individual details of the piece…." 

  The man was moved. His soul was touched and the art helped him to have peace during a stressful time in his life. Of course my mother was touched. I interviewed her for this blog and she shared her response to what this man had told her,

"My response to this person's email was an emotional thing for me! I've always thought that if my artistic work helps just one person to see the wonders of the colors and immensity of 'Life' then I've done my job. I'm also a person of faith and believe that the work I do is what God means for me to do…to share the colors and wonders of Life through my art."

Now you want to see her work don't ya! A little about the pieces first: They are both 30 inches in diameter and were made using hand-glazed Morrocan tile imported to the US through  http://www.tinytilemosaics.com/ . But here's the thing. The tiles she used range in size from 1/2 inch square at the largest down to 1/8 inch. They are tiny. But the effect they create is breathtaking. Think "painting" with tile. Think "pointelism" with tile. I've included photos and descriptions of both her pieces at the bottom. Perhaps you will be moved as well.

Art touches the soul. Does art touch everyone's soul? I actually believe that for every person alive there is a piece of art that would speak to them specifically. Some people don't look at art or seek it out. Some people, like the man at the hospital, come across it during their lives. Just think- if Linda would not have made those pieces, someone else's art may have hung in that spot and may not have spoken to that man's soul the way her art did. When I create my art now, not only am I grateful for my own bond with the piece, but I think about the people that will see it and hope that someone else connects with it and is made happier because of it. And my number one highlight would be if the beauty of my work caused someone to contemplate the Source of beauty and be brought to of God. To me, that is a worthy purpose.

 "Rise of Day"  The design gives the hope of a new day dawning. Every day the sun rises on our planet and the promise of each new day is yet to be written. -Linda Smith

 

"End of Day" This design gives comfort. Whether the day has been long and difficult or short and sweet, the setting of the sun indicates that the gathering darkness will fall as a warm blanket giving comfort through the night until the sun rises again. -Linda Smith

Local Mosaic Moments

I LOVE seeing art around town. I love that in my town, Chico, CA, there is art on the buildings, in parking lots, on benches, on newspaper stands, around doorways, in parks, and many other places. I especially love when the art is mosaic, and my town has a plethora of them! This month's post is about three, what I will call, "mosaic moments" in my town. The purpose of this post is just to look at cool mosaics and to get you, my reader, to look around YOUR town and notice some mosaic moments! I want to let you know that I did not do any research on who the artists were or when these mosaics were installed.
Here is the first: It is located on a wall at my son's school:

To me, it looks like a river running along the length of the wall. Also, along the wall are these cool medallions. Here are some close-ups:

 Isn't that pretty? The wall has these opaque windows about 16" wide and 12" tall that run along the top half of the length of the wall. The river flows right through those windows!

A portion of one of the medallions.

The second mosaic moment can be found around the doorway of a cafe here in Chico, called Cafe Flo. For those who are in Chico, Cafe Flo can be found at 365 East 6th St. The style of mosaic around this doorway is what is known as pique assiette, which is French, and, according to Wikipedia means, "one who eats from others' plates". Basically it is broken dishes and figurines...

For me, the more unique the dishes and figurines used, the better! This doorway has some zany things to look at. I've made some things in this mosaic style, and it is fun because you can kind of just come up with your design as you go. Sort of "stream of consciousness mosaic". At least that is how I approached it.

My final mosaic moment I will share (for now- I may start posting some more mosaic moments on my Facebook page "Kim Finlan Mosaics"), can be found at the entrance to our Kohls. I like this piece because it is done on pillars, and the pillars are angled so that depending on what angle you are looking at, the artwork seems broken up, or as one. Check it out:

Here are some close ups of the bird and the sun:

I hope you have enjoyed looking at these mosaic moments! If you like to look at pictures of mosaics then you would really love the mosaic groups on Flickr. Collectively, they have thousands of pictures of mosaics (mine are in there too!). Go to www.flikr.com, sign up and sign in, and then go to "groups" and search "mosaic". You will see group after group of mosaic art. I am in the "flickr mosaic artists" group. That oughtta keep ya busy for awhile...



Getting Down to Business

   I am a mom. I drive a minivan. I am a stay-at-home mom who cleans and cooks and volunteers in my son's kindergarten class once a week. I personally struggle a little with being a stay-at-home mom. I know there are some mother's out there who are working and would love to stay home. I do love being a mother but I have such a drive in me, such a passion, such a thirst for accomplishment and making a difference in the world that I sometimes feel like I am wasting my life each and every day. Now I know that for my two children, my daily involvement in raising them will be fruitful in their lives. But the funny thing about people is that even if a kid is raised in a daycare they can still turn out to be a very awesome person! Where am I going with all of this?
    Well, I was recently forwarded a website that is dedicated to a documentary called "Who Does She Think She Is?" I have not yet seen this documentary, but the clips I saw on this website have been enough to inspire me to get down to business! First let me say that the documentary focuses on 5 women artists who are also mothers. Two of the artists in particular still have kids living at home but are very successful, working artists as well. Check out the website for yourself! http://www.whodoesshethinksheis.net/
   So what exactly do I mean when I say I am going to "get down to business"? I am going to treat my art as if I were going to a job. I am going to set studio work hours and, with my husband's support, will work in my studio every day. Some days it may just be one hour. Other days I may be able to do up to five hours. I already work in my studio but I treat it like a last-thing-on-the-list-to-do. So most weeks I only work in my studio one or two days per week for about 2 hours each time.
   The biggest encouragement I received from the clips I watched from the documentary is that I do not need to feel guilty about creating my art. I have been given this gift. Everywhere I have tried to turn as far as other career paths go, have been shut down...except my art. My art has been blessed and I sell everything I make. So, instead of searching desperately for a "job" so I can leave my mark, I am going to embrace my art, along with my stay-at-home-mother status, and leave an even more beautiful mark than I could anywhere else at this moment in time. If you need me, I'll be in my studio!