loving art, science and creative kids
12/22/2018 7:28:15 PM
NURTURING
Does art give meaning your life? Does it influence the way you think and act?
As the environment is devastated, we must remember that each one of us has the power to nurture the land.
acrylic on board/ gold metal frame,/43” x84”/ $1,100
A Life Well Lived
The New Year is a time to take stock of your past and plan for the future. Are you pleased with the way you live? Do you want to make changes? Before analyzing your present situation, it’s important to decide what it means to live well, a question philosophers have debated since ancient times. What is happiness? Does human life have a purpose? At times I think that life could not possibly be better. But, there are instances when it feels like my actions are for naught and I wonder why I roam the earth. I decided to seek help from the sages.
Aristotle wrote, “Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” By that he meant that flourishing, living well and having a good life was the purpose for existence. Of course, people have different ideas of what a good life is. Some want wealth, others power. According to Aristotle there are two types of desires, those that are acquired and those that are natural, revolving around food, drink and shelter. The good life encompasses activities and possessions that are really good for us. He encouraged people to develop good habits or virtues of mind, body and spirit. I am sure Aristotle wouldn’t condone today’s politicians and business moguls who act for personal gain and happiness at the expense of others. But he also would question why I succumb to advertisers luring me to purchase gifts that may be put into the recipient’s back closet.
Martin Heidegger from Germany went a bit further than Aristotle and wrote that it wasn’t possible to have a good life if you weren’t living authentically. By that he meant, happiness could only be obtained by directing life on your own terms rather than the expectations of others. His thought rings a bell with me, though after watching anarchists and libertarians in action, I wonder if this is the way.
French existentialist, Jean Paul Sartre, considered freedom to be life’s highest goal. He said, “Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.” His thinking is meaningful when I think about the homeless youth I’ve been investigating. Impacted in childhood by abuse, they run to the streets in search of freedom. It’s not long before they realize they’re not free. Strings from their past hold them tight, making it difficult for them to evolve and prosper. They usually need professional help before they can function in adult society.
I remain fascinated by the early American Transcendentalists. Ralph Waldo Emerson , for instance, bade us to take each day in stride and not to be burdened by worries about past or future. “You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” Emerson was a Unitarian, as am I. At the end of each Sunday service the minister reminds congregants, “This is the day you have been given. Go in peace, practice love.” It does feel good to start with a clean slate.
And then there was French philosopher and novelist, Albert Camus. He warned against over-thinking and over-analyzing. He thought life in general to be absurd and didn’t believe people could be happy if they’re always searching for meaning in everything they do. Simply put, Camus would enjoin us to just live, take things as they come and enjoy our days.
To fully enjoy life, though, and to experience happiness, Epicurus the Hellenic philosopher, concluded that “most important was the acquisition of friends.” He wrote that friendship, more than anything else, contributed to a healthy and fulfilling life. Now that I help people who are ill and/or dying, I realize how important it is to develop and maintain friendships. I remember a song I sang in elementary school. “Make new friends, but don’t forget the old. One is sliver and the other is gold.” We need to help each other go through life’s passages.
German philosopher Nietzche, was prolific in his teachings. He wrote about morality, religion, good and evil, antisemitism and nationalism. His thoughts about art interest me. He wrote that creation and enjoyment of art are the things that make life worth living. “We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once,” and, “the creative powers of the individual could overcome social, cultural and moral contexts to develop new values and aesthetic health.” I don’t think my art impacts those around me, but I do try. Occasionally, my paintings carry a message to contemplate.(see above)
A great many philosophers, psychologists and educations reflect on the meaning of life. American philosopher, William James spoke of a will to believe. He wrote, “Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.” And, French philosopher, Simone de Beauvoir, thought that life got its meaning from caring for others. Her words ring bells close to my heart. Eastern philosophy also adds ideas for consideration.
More recently, New Criterion columnist and best selling author, Emily Esfahani Smith makes a distinction between a happy life and a meaningful one. She explored psychological studies and concluded that happiness is an emotion of the moment that fades rapidly. Meaning, however, is enduring and connects the past to the present to the future. Smith writes, “meaning comes from giving part of oneself away to others, from making a sacrifice on behalf of the overall group, from investing oneself in something bigger than oneself.”
Through the years I’ve moved from one philosophy to the next, collecting and savoring bits of wisdom to call on when needed. Today I am most attracted to Emily Smith’s ideas. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been blessed with a wonderful life that I enjoy spending hours helping others.
What about you? Join the conversation and share what you think a it means to live well. Respond on my blog site at eichingerfineart.com/blog.
References:
Retrieved from website. 2013. Aristotle on the Good Life. Reason and Meaning: philosophical reflections on life, health and the meaning of life. retrieved from https://reasonandmeaning.com/2013/12/19/aristotle-on-the-good-and-meaningful-life/
Gregoire, C. (2017) Living Well, According to Some of the Wisest People Who Ever Lived. Life. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-truest-things-ever-sa_n_3798034
Friedrich Nietzsche. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nietzsche/
Smith, E.E. ( 2017) The Power Of Meaning: Crafting a Live that Matters. Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penjuin Random House LLC, New York. ISBN 9780553419993
Art is always for sale. Contact me at [email protected]
12/15/2018 12:32:52 PM
Malheur Sunset
Acrylic on Canvas 23” x 27”/ $424
The sun sets early in December. People throughout the world welcome the solstice and return of light.
Solstice Celebrations Through the Ages
Dark days of winter usher in celebrations that originated in ancient times. Though customs vary around the world, all focus on the return of light and nature’s continuing cycle. Western civilization owes much to the Roman solstice celebration of Saturnalia. Dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture, it evolved to become a weeklong party that would rival Mardi Gras festivities today. Drinking, gambling, feasting and gift-giving were accorded to slaves and masters alike.
The feast of Juul is a pre-Christian festival that Scandinavians practiced during the solstice. A Yule log was brought to the celebration and ritually burned in honor of the God Thor. A piece of the log was kept for good luck and as kindling to use the following year. When Scandinavians adopted Christianity, St. Lucia, an early martyr, replaced Thor. The festival of lights became a reminder of the time Romans killed Lucia for taking food to persecuted Christians in 334 AD. The celebration is held on the shortest day of the year to align Lucia’s festivities with solstice traditions that honored light. Fires are lit to scare away spirts of the night and girls wear white dresses with red sashes and wreaths of candles on their heads.
Don Zhi is a Chinese solstice celebration welcoming the return of longer days. It is designated as the day everyone gets older. Don Zhi most likely started as a harvest festival. Farmers and fisherman took off from work to celebrate with their families. Brightly colored rice balls known as Tang Yan and stuffed dumplings are served to warm and nourish body and soul.
Mithra, the Sun God’s triumph over darkness is enjoyed by Iranians on the longest night of the year. On Shabe-e Yalda (Night of Birth) people gather to protect each other from evil. They burn fires for light, feast on nuts and pomegranates, read poetry and perform charitable acts. Some stay up all night to great the sun and banish evil with goodness.
Light and darkness are reversed in the southern hemisphere. In Peru, December is the longest day of the year. Inti Raymi, dating back to Inka Times, is celebrated in June when days are short. It originally honored Inti, the sun god through fasting, sacrifices and drinking Chicha (sacred beer). The Incas focused the suns rays to start fires with a mirror. Though the Christians banned Inti Raymi, it was revived in the 20th century and practiced today with mock sacrifices.
For Zuni Indians the solstice signifies the year’s beginning with Shalako ceremonies. Ceremonial dances known as Shalako, fasting, prayer, observing sunrises and sunsets for several days are part of the celebration. Traditionally, the “Sun Priest announces the exact moment of the sun’s rebirth with a mournful birth call that is a signal to rejoice and dance in a four day celebration. Festivities include Kachina clowns, 12-foot-high effigies with bird heads considered to be god’’s messengers. New dancers are selected for the following year to usher in the next cycle.
Hopi Indians are thought to be descendants of the Anasazi people who flourished in 200 B.C. Ancient stones in Chaco Canyon are their reminder of early interest in the sun’s movements. The Hopi solstice celebration of Soyal is ushers in an all-night ceremony that includes kindling fires, dancing, and gift-giving. The Sun Chief announces the setting of the sun on the solstice and continues to observe the sun throughout the year to determine when to plant crops and hold rituals.
The Japanese celebrate the solstice with wishes of health and good luck. The return of the sun is an especially sacred time for farmers who plant crops. Bonfires on Mount Fuji are lit on every December 22nd. Many Japanese take warm baths scented with the citrus fruit Yazu to ward off colds. They also eat Kabocha squash on the solstice to bring good luck.
Several centuries after the birth of Christ, Christmas replaced solstice festivities. Historians believe the December 25th was chosen to offset pagan celebrations such as Saturnalia. Most scholars believe Jesus was born in the spring, near April. Christmas, first called the Feast of the Nativity, had spread throughout Europe, Russia and parts of the Middle East. by the end of the eighth century. In the Middle Ages believers attended church and went out afterwards to celebrate in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere. The upperclass paid their “debt” to society by entertaining those who were less fortunate. December was a good time to celebrate because cattle were slaughtered so they wouldn’t have to be fed, wine and beer finished fermenting, and fields lay barren until spring.
The Puritans, led by Oliver Cromwell in the 17th century, tried to rid England of the holiday’s decadence by cancelling Christmas. It was eventually restored by Charles II. American Puritans, who were more strict than those in England, banned Christmas in Boston. Jamestown was another matter, for it was joyously celebrated. In 1867, Christmas was declared a federal holiday. Traditions brought to the U.S. by Catholic and Protestant immigrants from many lands were combined, making Christmas a family holiday with customs that include decorating trees, sending holiday cards and giving gifts. Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, promoted charity and good will towards all humankind. Montgomery Ward’s copywriter, Robert May gave birth to Rudolph the Reindeer in order to lure customers into the department store.
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication oft he Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Though not a solstice celebration, it does feature eight nights of lighting candles which brighten up dark winter evenings. I enjoy seeing Christmas lights brighten our streets during the month of December. I also start counting the days until it remains light at six in the evening.
References:
Pruitt,S. ( 2016) 8 Winter Solstice Celebrations Around the World.History. retrieved from https://www.history.com/news/8-winter-solstice-celebrations-around-the-world
Retrieved from timed date.com. Holidays and Traditions around the December solstice.
https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/december-solstice-customs.htm
History.com editors (2018) History of Christmas. History. retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas
12/7/2018 8:58:18 PM
The Studio
Acrylic on canvas/ $ 399 (sale price $279) / framed
“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.” ―Winston S. Churchill
Dance to Life
When four-years-old, Mother took me to my first dance class. She enrolled me at a young age because I tripped over my feet when walking. She thought my clumsiness would be helped with an activity that stresses balance. Mom never realized that those classes would teach me a great deal more than dance. Though I still have a difficult time balancing, dance lessons guided me through the years.
As a mother of five with a full time job, I was, as the saying goes, “up to my ears in alligators.” I dealt with one challenge after another at work and at home. My daily diet was responding to situations like, “So-and-so hit me. What’s for dinner?” to “Earnings are down. Should we lay people off?” Following is how I was guided through troublesome times.
BALANCE: To manage a demanding schedule stress-free, I had to make sure that work and play were balanced. This was not always easy to accomplish, for I often wanted to bury myself in work or artistic endeavors. Instead, I carved out time to spend with friends and family, to take flute lessons, and to vacation with and without children. I retreated daily to a quiet place to meditate in order to get away from the noise and chaos. Today, my situation is reversed, for in retirement, I’m able to vacation year-round if I want to. But that would be boring, so I’ve added a bit of spice by volunteering, painting and writing.
GRACE: Dancers learn to move with grace, a skill that is useful for interacting with others. The way connections are made is important for developing friendships, creating business collaborations and inspiring loving relationships. Graceful people understand there are struggles between good and evil, yes and no, kindness and hostility and ignorance and knowledge. They use this knowledge to waltz, tango and spin through illnesses, conflicts, anger and loss. Moving gracefully requires a calm, firm center that can glide through mist.
FLEXIBILITY: Body and mind are expansive when limber and stretchable. Flexibility is required to face challenges that can’t be overcome by ordinary means. Its opposite, rigidity can turn you into an uncompromising has-been who may as well be dead. Flexibility allows for adaptation to change upon change. Societies and individuals are in constant states of transformation.
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” ― Alan Wilson Watts
PRACTICE: “Try again until you get it right,” was a mantra drilled into me as a child. Without developing the gifts we are born with, our talents may as well not be there. Once you discover what they are, they have the potential of providing great joy if there is effort to overcome inertia and energy to train. Dancers prepare by practicing for hours each day—as do doctors, artists, basketball players, teachers, plumbers and many more. Perfected skills enable them to perform their craft with competency, ease and grace.
CONCENTRATION: Staying focused, being mindful and remaining centered reduces stress. Dancers whose minds wander while executing a leap or turn may get hurt. Those who can’t memorize their routines are unable to perform. When your mind is fully engaged in what you are doing, there is little room for worry. When in control you are able to turn off unwanted thoughts and fears. Learning to concentrate in the moment, is an acquired skill that enables relaxation when walking through storms.
PERSEVERANCE: Muscles and toes ache from hours of practice. Staying the course and remaining committed are difficult if in pain. When a ballerina falls, she is taught to get up and finish the performance. Similarly, mishaps occur throughout life, yet we must continue on. Failure is a teaching moment when accepted as a lesson in how to improve and not make the same mistake twice. Perseverance requires overcoming embarrassment, remembering the goal and acknowledging small steps taken in the right direction.
STRENGTH: Moving effortlessly requires strength and stamina. Dancers learn to be aware of the weak parts of their bodies and to work diligently to make them stronger. Strength does not happen overnight. Recognizing faults is the first step towards growth. The second involves hours of hard work to overcome them. With strength comes the ability and courage to make clear headed decisions even in the face of opposition.
RISK: Dancers take a certain amount of risk when performing their art. Though not as bad as football, where players are prone to concussions, ballerinas get bloody, misshapen toes and suffer from sprains, broken bones and back injuries that may last a lifetime. Life, in general, is uncertain and, at times, dangerous. Walking across a street, riding a bicycle, putting money in the stock market, purchasing a house, starting a new business, getting married, accepting a challenging job are risky but also full of possibility. Risk needs to be analyzed, understood, and consciously accepted. Dance taught me not to be foolish and leave what I do to chance.
When balance, flexibility, concentration, gracefulness and strength come together, dancers say they are “in the flow” or “in the zone.” It’s a moment of full engagement directed towards purpose and provides feelings of unabashed joy and wellbeing. Flow is motivating for it spurs a desire to achieve the next level of excellence. Once a person experiences what it is like to be ”in the zone,” a craving develops to be there again.
Several times during the course of my life, I was fortunate enough to experience “flow.” In my twenties and thirties, when my body was young and under my control, strength, flexibility, concentration, grace and balance allowed me to dance with abandonment. Another time I was exiting a supermarket with four children bouncing around my cart. For some reason, when I looked at them that moment, an overwhelming feeling of contentment enveloped me. I was a supermom assure of my purpose. More recently, I feel in the zone when painting or writing. There are times I become so engrossed in what I am doing that the outside world fades away. Being at one with my art is like being struck with lightning. I am lit on the inside and alive with aspiration, peacefulness and contentment.
Studying dance has taught me how to live. Yet, there is much more to know and I remain a willing student.
“The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion.” ―Terry Orlick
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