Rocky Mountain Skyline Copyright 2014 by R.A. Robbins
“Art is not a thing, it is a way.” ~Elbert Hubbard
I love this quote by Elbert Hubbard (June 19, 1856 – May 7, 1915, American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher).. What a simple, yet elegant way of stating a truth by which I live. I often like to say art is not what we do, it is who we are.
Art is a way. A way of seeing, a way of self-expression, a way of changing the world and a way of life. These things all apply to both the artist and the viewer.
Something to think about the next time you look at a work of art.
You don’t have to look far to find circles in daily life. From the bowl you eat your breakfast cereal from to the clock on the wall, to the sun and the moon, circles are everywhere. Life itself can be seen as a circle from birth to death. We even talk of coming “full circle”
I think the circle is a symbol that is embedded in our spiritual DNA there for us when we are ready to remember. I believe that spiritual art and music incorporating circles are a way of helping us to remember. Some of the songs written about the deeper meaning of circles include The Circle by Harry Chapin to Circle Game by Judy Collins to Circle of Life from The Lion King written by Elton John and Tim Rice.
I love to play with sacred geometry in my artwork, especially circles. My first attempt at this was with the form of the Rose Window for Rose of Sharon.
Rose of Sharon Copyright 2010
Then I explored the labyrinth with my ‘Walker” series.
Firewalker Copyright 2015 by R.A. Robbins
I created another round quilt based on the song The Circle Game by Joni Mitchell to honor my mother’s life. It hangs on my gallery wall in my home.
Carousel of Time Copyright 2014 by R.A. Robbins Original quilt based on the song Circle Game
A few years ago I even devoted a day to working with a mandala. The day began with meditation on the courtesy dock which actually extends over the water. What a wonderful way to begin, sitting silently listening to the birds and feeling the gentle breeze on my face. Then I went inside and did a bit more study on the history and process of the mandala. I wanted to work outside so I loaded up a couple of tote bags, walked back down to the lake and set up on a picnic table by the water.
I thought I had an idea of what I would do, but Spirit had something else in mind. Instead of the extremely intricate flowing lines of the typical drawn mandala I ended us with very basic circles full of personal meaning and symbolism. It may not seem like much to others, but to me it is a gentle, encouraging message from the Creator and exactly what I needed on that day. I am not posting a photo here because this is a very personal piece. It is hanging in my studio and is not for sale.
When we begin recognizing our connection to nature, Spirit, symbols and other people life starts to open up to us in all it’s glory. The mandala is one tool we can use to help facilitate this. More than just an art form, Spirit will speak through it if we just listen.
Rocky Mountain Skyline Copyright 2014 by R.A. Robbins
“The whole culture is telling you to hurry, while the art tells you to take your time. Always listen to the art.” ~Junot Diaz
Today’s photo is one of my original works of fabric art called Rocky Mountain Skyline. It is available for sale with more of my artwork in the Espirational Gallery. There is a 20% discount during the month of June with the coupon code: celebrate-6/2018
“I have never created anything in my life that did not make me feel, at some point or another, like I was the guy who just walked into a fancy ball wearing a homemade lobster costume. But you must stubbornly walk into that room, regardless, and you must hold your head high. You made it; you get to put it out there. Never apologize for it, never explain it away, never be ashamed of it. You did your best with what you knew, and you worked with what you had, in the time that you were given. You were invited, and you showed up, and you simply cannot do more than that. They might throw you out – but then again, they might not. They probably won’t throw you out, actually. The ballroom is often more welcoming and supportive than you could ever imagine. Somebody might even think you’re brilliant and marvelous. You might end up dancing with royalty. Or you might just end up having to dance alone in the corner of the castle with your big, ungainly red foam claws waving in the empty air. that’s fine, too. Sometimes it’s like that. What you absolutely must not do is turn around and walk out. Otherwise, you will miss the party, and that would be a pity, because – please believe me – we did not come all this great distance, and make all this great effort, only to miss the party at the last moment.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
