The arts can offer us a glimpse into the vulnerability and human side of others and help us defeat the discouraging divisions we often experience in today’s world. No matter how we choose to engage with the arts, our involvement helps us to see and hear and feel things that may have previously left us disconnected and untouched. "Art helps us identify with one another and expands our notion of we – from the local to the global." ~ Olafur Eliasson, “Icelandic–Danish artist known for sculptured and large-scale installation art employing elemental materials such as light, water, and air temperatu ..read more

With the changing circumstances and events in today’s world, it is worth our while to consider artistic expression as a model for the flexibility we need to succeed. Creative artists are flexible and imaginative in their approach to change. When you’re flexible, you think in a creative way and find innovative solutions to solve problems. "Creative individuals are remarkable for their ability to adapt to almost any situation and to make do with whatever is at hand to reach their goals." ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, psychologist, professor, and author noted for his work in the study of happiness a ..read more

In today’s complex world, unity is an artistic concept that is worthy of our attention. We can gain much needed encouragement and perspective through the compositional strategies that artists use to make the parts of a work of art hang together as a whole. “Art inspires us to visit the concept of ‘Unity’ and see ourselves as part of a bigger universe.”~ Leni Kae, Australian contemporary artist and illustrator While uncertainty fills much of what we’re experiencing today, the arts can play an important role in helping us see current situations and events from a different perspective. Artists gi ..read more

While the arts can’t stop the COVID-19 virus or the social unrest we see in the world today, they can provide clarity and give us insight into the choices we make when moving through the tensions of crisis and chaos. The arts invite everyone to think in new ways. “Art is a wound turned into light.” ~ Georges Braque (1882-1963) French painter and sculptor We often experience works of art as something that’s pleasing to our senses without a full understanding of the creative effort. Great art often shows us contradictions and crises, and we can learn a great deal from their resolutions. Through ..read more

"The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between." ~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Prolific and influential eighteenth-century composer This Mozart quote is especially relevant considering the social distancing and stay at home orders we face today. It’s easy to underestimate the power of silence. People tend to feel uneasy when there’s a pause in the flow of sound or movement. One might have the uncomfortable feeling of wanting to fill pauses with sound or worry or some sort of activity. Artists of all kinds use the power of silence and negative (empty) space in t ..read more

“The ability to imagine things pervades our entire existence. It influences everything we do, think about and create. It leads to elaborate theories, dreams and inventions in any profession from the realms of academia to engineering and the arts. Ultimately, imagination influences everything we do regardless of our profession.” ~ Tao de Haas (psychotherapist, social ecologist, corporate trainer) In interviews, Albert Einstein attributed his scientific insight and intuition mainly to the daily practice of music. Music worked for him as a brainstorming technique. His scientific ideas were ofte ..read more

The arts teach one how to look at problems in life and succeed. Learning to successfully move through problems is an important soft skill everyone needs if they are to achieve their goals. I’ve always been intrigued by this 17th century haiku by Japanese poet and samurai, Mizuta Masahide: Barn’s burnt down — now I can see the moon. The haiku reminds me of a magnificent concert I experienced many years ago. The performance was exhilarating. At the final chord, the conductor motioned for everyone to end what was to be a resounding and reverberating conclusion to the “Hallelujah Chorus” from ..read more

“We need people who think with the creative side of their brains—people who have played in a band, who have painted…it enhances symbiotic thinking capabilities, not always thinking in the same paradigm, learning how to kick-start a new idea, or how to get a job done better, less expensively.” ~Annette Byrd, GlaxoSmithKline (a multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Brentford, London) I recently read an article that reinforced this belief that the thinking gained from arts experiences can transform your life and work experience. The article, a June 2019 publication written by EdS ..read more

"In limits, there is freedom. Creativity thrives within structure." ~ Julia Cameron This quote by Julia Cameron reminds all of us that structure doesn’t dictate, but rather adds value, no matter what we’re doing. Several years ago, I attended a symphony concert that featured violinist Joshua Bell. Since that experience, I’ve reflected many times about how he simply made the music come alive! Everyone in the audience was mesmerized by the way the music seemed to pour out from every cell in his body as he performed. It was the spontaneity of his playing that was so captivating. He played w ..read more

It’s easy to underestimate the power of silence. In today’s noisy world, silence is something that isn’t easily mastered. People tend to feel uneasy when there’s a pause in the flow of sound or movement. Many feel the need to turn on the radio every time they get in their car. And when they’re home, they turn on the television or play music, or they look at their phone or iPad every free moment. Silence, space, and stillness in rehearsal settings can be equally unnerving, but music performance experiences can help students learn the powerful influence of the gaps between sounds. If you’re a ..read more