Supporting the Arts

From the very beginning, God called human beings to be co-creators with Him. Made in God’s image, we have that innate desire to create, to use the work of our hands to make the world a better place. From the earliest age, children have that innate desire to make art. Without any self-consciousness, they draw, paint, and dance with abandon. We all have that creative urge. In the words of Pope John Paul II in his 1999 Letter to Artists: “the divine Artist passes on to the human artist a spark of his own surpassing wisdom, calling him to share in his creative power . . . That is why artists, the more conscious they are of their “gift”, are led all the more to see themselves and the whole of creation with eyes able to contemplate and give thanks, and to raise to God a hymn of praise. This is the only way for them to come to a full understanding of themselves, their vocation and their mission.”

In an era in which much art seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator rather than to proclaim the glory of God and God’s creation, it is important to focus on all the good that art can bring to the world. As is the case with all gifts from God, the gift of our artistic sensibilities can be used for good or ill. It is up to those of us who use that gift to make the right choice. There is a responsibility that comes with the gift.

By the same token, a work of art reflects the artist that created it. If a soul is at peace and harmony with the world, that will be revealed in the resulting creation. On the other hand, if an artist is suffering from sin and a disordered existence, that too will be transmitted. Once again, John Paul II shares with us:

In producing a work, artists express themselves to the point where their work becomes a unique disclosure of their own being, of what they are and of how they are what they are. And there are endless examples of this in human history. In shaping a masterpiece, the artist not only summons his work into being, but also in some way reveals his own personality by means of it. For him art offers both a new dimension and an exceptional mode of expression for his spiritual growth. Through his works, the artist speaks to others and communicates with them. The history of art, therefore, is not only a story of works produced but also a story of men and women. Works of art speak of their authors; they enable us to know their inner life, and they reveal the original contribution which artists offer to the history of culture.

Those who are artists know that they have no choice but to create. The inspiration beckons them and will not be quieted until the work has come to fruition. While the finished product often pales in comparison to the initial vision, never-the-less the process and the product are worthy of time and support. “All artists experience the unbridgeable gap which lies between the work of their hands, however successful it may be, and the dazzling perfection of the beauty glimpsed in the ardor of the creative moment: what they manage to express in their painting, their sculpting, their creating is no more than a glimmer of the splendor which flared for a moment before the eyes of their spirit.”

The arts deserve our support. There are many dedicated artists who work to enhance the beauty of our world through their painting, music, sculpture, photography, fabric arts, etc. Their works may never hang in a gallery. Indeed, many domestic works of art are intended only as private gifts of love – think of a quilt carefully sewed for a new baby or the work that goes into knitting a hand-made sweater or the care with which photographs are taken and arranged in a scrapbook to preserve the memories of a child’s life.

Those that do try to share their art on a wider scale, however, can use both our verbal and economic encouragement. While many of us certainly do not have the money to afford expensive works of art, we can make decisions about how we do spend our time and entertainment dollars. Do we support life-affirming movies, television programs, and music or do we prefer those that appeal to our baser interests? Do we buy or read books and magazines that are trying to bring greater good to the world or do we choose those that degrade people and creation? Do we visit websites that help us learn and grow as a person or do we spend our time on less-noble pursuits? We do have choices in the artistic expressions that we support.

The world needs artists and we all are in some way called to create. Our responsibility then is two-fold – to use our gift of creation wisely, as a tool of love and beauty and positive transformation of the world, and to support others who do the same.