Message to VIEWERS
Where there is art, there is hope. Where there is hope, there is action
Andrew Buck: optimism, art, & civic engagement
On Art, Hope, and Action
I find the world of art interesting. There are those who say that art makes us human. I tend to think that art gives us opportunities to express our humanity. Discovery and inventiveness become activated in the process of making art. Creative intuition takes a lead. Aesthetic judgments, which are quite different from personal, professional, political, financial, and pedagogical judgments, come into play.
What do you see, hear, and feel when you experience or encounter art? To me, performing and visual artists commemorate living moments in time, express thoughts and feelings, and release energy in others through their work.
My artistic explorations - in the forms of nature photography, pottery/ceramics, writing, and occasional painting - testify to the worth, dignity, and spiritual essence of humanity and beauty in nature. It makes me wonder, is it too much to ask for us to start forming beautiful and harmonious relationships in our global community today?
"What if..." is an especially important mindset for artists. Art, centered on possibilities and what might be, supports optimism. To me, where there is art, there is hope. The notion of possibilities provides a tangible foundation for hope, particularly for today’s embattled world, which is filled with complex endless social, environmental, and political problems.
Whether you see yourself as an artist or not, I encourage you, as a person, to speak up or act when it comes to imagining the possible, making beautiful things, cultivating positive relationships, or working towards a harmonious, sustainable, and safe world. Believe me, civic engagement can have an influence on things around us.
Right now, there seems to be a great need for harmony. As one small voice in a vast world, I invite and encourage you to create harmony in all that you say and do. It could have a ripple effect and who knows what possibilities that could lead to.
Andrew Buck, Artist and Pedestrian Safety Advocate
New York City ( 03/2022, Rev. 10/2023)
