Many of us can recall that moment when we were first struck by the beauty of artistic creation, and how that initial spark of creativity grew and developed within us over the years, guiding each of us on a personal journey filled with discovery and meaning. In anticipation of this letter, I asked many of our longtime readers how they had realized their creative potential, and what events and experiences were pivotal in shaping their own artistic lives. I was surprised at how similar many of the responses were. Indeed, the overwhelming number of respondents actively engaged in the arts indicated that they had simply followed their natural inclinations and, in so doing, discovered their natural gifts. Those who found themselves irresistibly drawn to music and dance at an early age ended up performing in musicals, singing in a choir, playing in a local band or joining an orchestra. From a love of stories and books, some began to compose poetry and write short stories and novels. Those of us who were enchanted by beautiful paintings or photographs picked up a paint brush or a camera and began to express our own personal artistic visions. Even outside the fine arts, in the culinary arts, sports, or wherever there is room for personal creativity, it seems that those activities that express our natural gifts become an intimate part of our self-identity, and we tend to pursue them throughout our entire lives.

When I first realized the full significance of painting in my life, I was sixteen and studying watercolor painting with Gerhard Miller (1903-2003) of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, a very happy and talented painter who worked in the genre of imaginary realism. (You can learn more about his work and legacy by visiting The Miller Museum of Art in Sturgeon Bay, or by visiting their website at millerartmuseum.org.) I framed one of my paintings, and my Dad and uncle, who built summer cottages for sale in Door County, hung the piece in the sample cottage that they showed to prospective customers. To my surprise, the painting sold right away and I was swept off my feet! It wasn’t the money that excited me; rather, it was the validation of the aesthetic worth of my work. It meant the world to me as a young painter just as I was deciding on what to do with my life, and my creativity blossomed as a result.

There are many ways to engage in the creative process other than producing a work of art oneself, and validating a young artist’s work is essential to building their self-confidence, encouraging them to share their work with others and further develop their natural talents. Teaching art is another way to support young artists while enhancing one’s own understanding of the creative process. Working at an arts nonprofit or volunteering at an arts summer camp, even if you are performing administrative tasks that are not artistic per se, but essential to the overall mission, is also a way to support young artists, and it keeps you in touch with the artistic community.

For many, art is a refuge from the tedium of the everyday world of work. Perhaps beyond a certain level of monetary income what economists would call a “law of diminishing returns” comes into play. In the end, it is not how much we make, but what we do with the time we have on earth that determines our true happiness. None of us can know for certain how much time we have, but the old saying is as true now as it every was, “You can’t take it with you when you go.”

By keeping the spark of artistic creativity burning within ourselves, sharing it with others, and nourishing the natural gifts of young artists, we make the one life that we have truly worth living.

                                                                                                –Pam Berns