Making art is a spiritual activity in that an artist attempts to look beyond appearances, to see through to some essential truth. This truth is elusive and cannot be reached by normal analytical means. While an artist can be highly trained and skilled, until they can transcend the mask of normality and peer beyond the veil, they will merely make pictures.
Training and skill are valuable in this, as in any art-dancers, musicians and writers all benefit from training and must work to hone their skills. Yet ultimately they must reach beyond to grasp some gem and bring it back to earth to share with others.
Art seeks to communicate. A mystic could meditate for 50 years and grasp many mysteries, but if he does not share with others he has benefited only him self.
Art in all its forms is a defining characteristic of human beings. Making tools has obvious utility. Making art does not, yet fulfills an essential need since making art is a human universal.
Why did the cave painters paint? “I was here. I saw this. I thought it was beautiful. What do you think?”
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