Art, Spirit, and Wonder: Finding the Sacred Through Art​

Art History tells the story of humanity. Here we'll look at how Paganism has been viewed in art through the ages; into the ancient past, the Renaissance and other eras, and how artists are exploring Paganism today.

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Staying Positive for 2018

Posted by on in Studies Blogs
I have this ear worm today that happens to be a hit song from back in the seventies.... it is reminding me that even when everything looks bad, we need to remain positive. The song was written by someone with the unfortunate name of Wet Willie:
 
Well you say you got the blues, 
Got holes in both of your shoes, 
Feelin' alone and confused, 
You got to keep on smilin', keep on smilin' 
 
....Keep on smilin' through the rain, laughin' at the pain 
Rollin with the changes til the sun comes out again 
Keep on smilin' through the rain, laughin' at the pain 
Rollin with the changes, singin' this refrain 
 
 
Indeed the sun MUST come out again, the pendulum has to swing back to a better outlook for everyone. I say this as I cringe reading the news every single day for the past year at least. I am really sick of seeing the current president of the US seemingly get a pass for his bad behavior in the face of the #me too movement. I am so tired of knowing that our coastlines are shrinking, and water is not drinkable in so many communities..... It can overwhelm us if we let it. What can we do to keep on smiling? To remain bright?
 
For me, it has come down to sticking to my resolutions of making art and writing every single day. (OK, I missed  yesterday, but I AM human), as well as following my own fitness goals and sticking to achieving them. I don't have any control at all over the outside world. I do have control on what happens in my own little sphere of influence, and I can control what goes into my body, and the care I take of my body. Have been amazed at the positive outcomes I have seen from just a few weeks of exercise. 
 
Getting back to my artistic practice, making art everyday has made me so much better as as artist. I have been drawing anything and everything - I like to capture my cats as they stare at me, waiting for me to feed them. I like to try to imagine difficult angles to be posing in, and then I draw them. I have taken photos of myself in poses I want to try to capture and this has assisted me in becoming a better observer of everything around me. 
 
Is any of this influencing the world at large? No, not in the slightest... unless it means that doing the small things that keep my personal microcosm happily humming along is being passed onto other people that I encounter, and to whom I can be just a wee bit more pleasant. I do think that this kind of work is a "pay it forward" sort of thing - why inflict my bad moods on the unsuspecting people I have to see every day if I can fo something to make them smile instead? Even if it is as small as saying "thank you." or chatting up the person behind the counter. 
 
Wag more, whine less. These are more goals for 2018.
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Tagged in: 2018
Helena Domenic has been an art history nerd for her entire life, having toured the Sistine Chapel at the age of eighteen months. She never quite recovered from that experience (thankfully) and has been seeking out the sacred and profane in art ever since. She's even a real-life art history professor at a Pennsylvania university. She is also a Tarot nerd, having created her own Tarot deck, the Fellowship of the Fool.

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