This week I have worked on all kinds of projects-in-progress that interest me. I could write about any of them.

But.

I just want to stop for a moment and talk about A R T. The power of it. The wonder of it.

Friday night we went to an over-the-top inspiring piano concert at Stetson University’s School of Music. (Stetson is here in DeLand. I’m a Stetson alum.)

I heard people leaving who were, simply, stunned, saying: “Wow.’  There was Beethoven. Rachmaninoff. Chopin etudes. All played masterfully.

And, as I have remembered the playing since then, I have tried to draw out important lessons.

First … Great art in person isn’t anything like great art not in person. Live music is completely different from recorded music. Seeing an art exhibit in person is completely different from seeing it online or in print. Our souls need all of these.

Second …  it takes time – and sometimes effort – to learn to appreciate an art form that’s not the one you are most familiar with. I did not grow up listening to Classical music. Even now, my repertoire of known composers and performers is way smaller than I would like. But I am learning. And grateful to have world-class performances nearby.

Maybe for you it’s abstract art that’s foreign. Or non-representational color field work. Or outsider art. Or folk art. It is good to give all of these some time. Let them soak into your understanding.

Third …There’s an actual difference between masters and pretty-good artists. (Duh!) Saturday night we also attended a performance of piano at Stetson, this time performed by students who are piano majors. Obviously, they all played piano quite well. But they are not yet where they will be.

For those of us who are artmakers, this is both humbling and hopeful. We only get to Carnegie Hall in the way described in the well-known joke: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. Practice. Practice.

I spend hours in my studio each week because I love what I do, and because I believe it is worth it.

Art makes life better.

. . . . .

Along that thought, I’m happy this week to share a bit of art joy. My quilt, “More Than Bread,” was accepted into the SAQA Global exhibit, Gastronomy. It will premiere next October at the Houston Quilt Festival then travel for approximately two years. The jurors selected 40 works to show from over 100 entered.

For my artist statement I wrote:

She kneads the dough to make bread. But more than bread. Much more. Through her arms and hands, she leans into the work. She pours herself into the process. She connects the dough to her traditions, her memories, her culture. Sifted into the ingredients are her beliefs and dreams for those for whom she bakes. Come, eat.

Hmmm. Kind of like making great art.

REMINDER: COMING SOON: Mark your calendars!

I will open my studio doors March 5-6 and welcome guests on this self-guided studio tour. Twelve artists in the DeLand area are participating. You drive from studio-to-studio, visiting all or just the ones that interest you, at your own pace, for FREE! I hope if you are near Central Florida you will plan a day to visit DeLand and my studio. Find out more about the artists on the tour and see the map, here:

https://artstours.org/west-volusia-tour/

For all the artmakers: Happy creating
For all the art lovers: Happy appreciating

Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi
bobbi@bobbibaughstudio.com

How I keep in touch:

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