The Art of Living

Every child is an artist. We are all born with creativity. Creativity lives in our bodies. It is the relationship between our internal and external experiences. For some of us, somewhere along the lines we lose this innocent expression and never get it back. I believe we are all artists, whether we identify as one or not. We do not necessarily have to craft, paint, draw, write, sing, play instruments or dance to be considered artists. I believe artistry is a daily internal relationship with our external world. Some of us have a deeper connection with creativity, hence we are able to express our true selves and produce work.

“You can't help it. An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times.” - Nina Simone. 

There should always be a place to make art just because. Personally, I don’t always believe in art for art's sake. Although I do understand the rationale, I believe there is something quite powerful about creating art that is empowering, inspiring and reflective of our contemporary world. 

There is an unspoken dialogue between an artist and their audience. What I love about art is that it is often left open to interpretation. From an objective point of view there is no wrong way to look at it. Our interpretation of the same piece may evolve many times, depending on where we are emotionally and/or mentally. 

Public art allows us to have internal dialogues that normal conversations sometimes cannot do. It encourages us to reflect on our own interpretation and at its core, who we really are.  It sometimes challenges us to dig deep into the crevices of our mind to make meaning of our lived experiences. There are pieces I’ve experienced that felt one way the first time but had a different feeling the next. I appreciate this about public art because it helps bridge our humanity. It is an unspoken dialogue between the creator and the audience.                                                          

“Write for yourself, then edit for others.” - Lillian Allen                                                               

As an artist, most of my work takes place internally. It is first lived and experienced within my being before it goes out for public consumption. This quote opened me up to seeing a world where my art could help others see themselves reflected.

Growing up in Flemingdon Park and Scarborough, I’ve always believed that Toronto is the world in one city. The Year of Public Art has brought us closer to understanding one another and the world around us. It is a gift to have access to so much public art, to explore the inner workings of another’s lived experience. Public art humanizes us, it builds empathy, it strengthens our inherent beliefs and challenges them as well. 

In Toronto, (our world in one city), we won’t always agree because there are three million different ways to look at life, but I believe public art is a bridge of understanding one another in relation to the world around us. It brings the child out of us and gives us permission to play and reconnect with our inner child.