Why Art?
Vision of an Artist
By Saskia Haugen
What is art? This perplexing question
is not so complicated. Ian, my boyfriend, says it encompasses
everything. Metaphorically, art mirrors the grand design of life.
Creation is omnipresent in our worlds. Thoughts, words, and actions
are a myriad of creations reflecting human essence. We are the
creators and artists of our planet. If we accept and agree to
these fundamentals, then we have complete control over reality.
The focus of my art includes painting large murals, sculpting
with metals, ceramic mosaics, and of course skiing. You may have
seen some of my murals at Azteca or Bridger Bowl.
Painting larger than life is truly liberating. It requires a full
range of motions throughout the mind, arms, and legs. This is
extended to all levels of art; it's liberating to see and feel
beauty and then transform it into your own version. It doesn't
matter what experiential level you're on because you will move
forward with each drawing, song, sculpture, etc. Art is a direct
link to the inner world that unleashes the creative potential
that all humans hold. It is natural to be completely engrossed
after four hours of intensity without a clue to time. This meditational
activity allows beauty to pop out everywhere.
Being comfortable is the most important thing. If I worry about
the outcome of my work there is no point to finishing it. I believe
the point of art is to let go and enjoy the colors, light, shapes,
and forms rather than judging how real or 'good' it looks. The
point is to be open to whatever happens and work with it until
you are visually satisfied-there is no use for fear in this situation.
I do not fear that furthering my
studies in fine arts and art education will leave me poor. I will
have a rich and full life based around evolving my understandings
and abilities. Teaching is invaluable so I don't concern myself
about compensation. Besides, I have a real problem with the way
corporate-politicos have programmed the American public to live
in fear. If the American public were to inspect its social history,
practices, and hierarchical systems of control, they would understand
why over thousands of years family lineages rarely stray from
their place in society-whether rich or poor.
The school system we grew up in is designed to keep a small elite
population in power while the rest of us feed their lifestyles.
Fear is used to control and fool masses of people into believing
they need an element-gold (now referred to as money)-in order
to survive. Nobody really needs to donate fifty years of life
to support a futile game that benefits few, slows evolution of
consciousness and destroys the planet.
I am an artist because it is an outlet from the "scheme."
It allows me to explore alternative realties besides the one I
have been taught. Anything that facilitates reaching away from
what is normal and safe furthers wisdom and awareness. It is safe
to graduate from high school, go to college and get a business
degree. However, one can gain even more by exploring other options.
There are many ways of approaching
life and the successful ones don't always need to jump through
the hoops of higher education. Ian, for example, rejects the idea
of spending eighty thousand dollars on a liberal arts degree.
Instead, he is preparing for an apprenticeship of fine carpentry
and will grow herbs for medicinal purposes. As long as we are
benefiting ourselves, society, and ultimately our planet, success
and love will follow.
I am choosing to jump through the academic hoops because I want
to teach. I have the ability to raise consciousness in others
and knowledge is power. The more people who understand what is
really happening, the weaker the corporate-politico façade
becomes. When higher consciousness spreads into the majority of
the population, change will be inevitable. Instead of programming
our children to regurgitate facts and conform to the current social
structure, we'll inspire them to develop their creative thoughts
and ideas and put them into action for the collective betterment
of all. Our focus will move from playing the gold game to evolving.
Interests will turn away from survival and move to higher understandings
of our dynamic earth, bodies, minds, and all of our potential
as creators.
(Note: The above paintings are by Saskia, and the one below is by Ian.)
