Freedom in Creativity

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.  ~ Thomas Merton

Time passes by so quickly and I've been so delinquent in my writing habit -- I'd like to try and get more in the practice again before the end of 2012, so here goes.

   

In November we returned home from our annual visit to Festival of the Masters that is always held in Downtown Disney in Orlando.  As always, we find it inspiring to attend this event and witness all the creativity displayed by the many artists showcasing their works there.  This year was no disappointment.

My own creation at the hands-on exhibit sponsored by Michael's

This year the Festival fell over the Veteran's Day weekend.  Of course, this holiday is a time to honor and thank the veterans who proudly served to fight for the freedoms we often take for granted.  It seems to me that the timing of this year's Festival was very appropriate.  In my humble opinion, artistic expression is one of those many freedoms we have been blessed with being able to enjoy.  And isn't it common that the artist himself can find freedom in exercising their very art?

I was reminded of that phenomenon this year while talking to a few of the Festival's artists whose work caught our eye the most.  Royal Woods showed that keen curiosity as he demonstrated to the crowd how his intricate wooden puzzle boxes work when he said, "I woke up in the middle of the night one night and asked myself, 'Self, do drawers always HAVE to be square?'"  He went on to say he hasn't built a square drawer since then and prided himself in showing off the complexities built into his beautiful woodwork creations.

       

Last year we purchased a beautiful purple heart canary-wood drum from Michael and Joah Thiele from Hardwood Music and were pleased to see them at the Festival again this year.  It's always inspiring to hear how the father-son duo jointly custom-build these beautiful wooden musical instruments.  As I was intently admiring the beautiful coffee table drum furniture piece they had made, Joah told me about a new manufacturing process his father started using this year.  It essentially allows them to put any type of wood on the face of the furniture face while still using the type of wood underneath that generates such a rich, melodious sound when played.  The musical coffee table of theirs is a true work of art I'd love to be able to afford some day.  I can easily imagine the fun and enjoyment we'd have creating our own melodies depending on whatever mood we found ourselves in.

We were thankful to start this special weekend taking in the "La Nouba" show at Cirque du Soleil.  It truly was a treat to forget reality for a short period of time and totally be lost in the unique and acrobatic performances.  It's hard not to want to learn to do something new and creative of your own after seeing all this talent of others.  I have a strange urge to look into realizing a crazy dream of mine now to one day try to be a trapeze artist and gracefully fly through the air.  (Those of you who know me well, are probably laughing hysterically at that comment!)

    

I truly am grateful for the sacrifices others have made so that I may freely enjoy creative venues such as what is displayed each year at the Festival of the Masters.  I may not enjoy or appreciate every form of art I see there, but I'm thankful that we are free to express ourselves in however creativity speaks to us.  I'm also thankful for my own energy levels being replenished when I enjoy and take time to appreciate what others have done and created.