Artistic Skill - Inherent or Learned?
Georgia Stewart
June 04, 2008
I presume that the urge to create arises from simply being alive and that everyone possesses an inherent artistic skill. We all have the need to express ourselves, other than just verbally and to make something that reveals something of our personalities is an excellent way to do this.
Everyone exhibits artistic skill in one way or another. Take people’s homes for example; we choose the colours and shades, fabric for curtains and pictures to show our likes, dislikes and preferences. Even the clothes we wear are in a way an artistic expression of ourselves.
If we travel back in time to our primeval ancestors we can see evidence of artistic expression in cave drawings. This was before paint brushes, paint and canvass and yet their innate desire to create was so strong they found ways to utilise the natural materials around them.
A perfect example of a culture that stretched itself to the limits artistically and excelled is the Egyptians whose pyramids astound us today. The energy and thoughtfulness they poured into them reveals a creative drive of real intensity.
Yet even though I claim that everyone possesses a certain amount of artistic skill, not everyone is especially talented in particular genres of artistic expression, such as painting in oils or musical ability. These gifts have to be honed, which takes effort and dedication. I assume that Mozart spent many hours pushing himself as far as he could go and equally so the great artists we all know of today.
I’ve given my electric guitar to my son and I’m hoping he’ll possess the talent to play it well but I’m aware that first I’ll be required to teach him some chords and how to strum and pick the strings. He’ll need a certain drive to enable him to pursue his guitar playing but if he does the pleasure he’ll receive will be immense.
I urge everyone to create in one way or another, seeking their own particular brand of artistic skill because it causes a great deal of happiness and contentment, therefore is healthy for us. We were born to express ourselves artistically so each one of us can find an outlet for this and might find it becomes a passion!
We need space from our hectic lives and concentrating on making something beautiful that shows who we are is one of the most effective ways to allow the troubles of the world to wash away.
Tags: Artistic , Create , Expression , Paint , Guitar
