“The ancient roots of the word “art” have to do with connection, and art, at its best, is our connection to the mystery, to parts of ourselves that are deeper and truer than our day-to-day world.”  

Rod MacIver,  Author and Painter

In this post I want you to consider, or think about what might be possible when you connect with a visual work of art or a visual image from you day-to-day life.  I want you to consider or think about what might be possible in your mind and heart when you connect with a work of art or image from our every day life.  Really connect.

Inthe last post, ‘A Visual Image Makes Me Pause’, I described a moment in an early winter’s morning when I reached for the doorknob to go into the classroom where I would be working that day.  But I didn’t go inside before I noticed the shadow of my hand and doorknob really slanted on the door and door frame.  I had to stop and look.  There was something that made me pause.  There was something beautiful in that moment.  There was something comforting in that moment.  I remember that moment as if it was yesterday instead of the 25 years ago that it actually was.

And as I said in the last post,  I now believe it was a gift from the spiritual world, or whatever you may call it.  You may have a different name for it.

Now here I am 25 years later and I’ve had more experiences of connecting to the mystery, the grandness, the utter beauty of visual works of arts and our visual world we live in.

Have you ever been felt this way with a work of art or image from our world?  Have you ever felt this way at the edge of an ocean, or in the mountains or in nature, or with a painting or photo, or even with other types of art such as music, films and theater?  I hope so.

I’m not saying that this deep response to visual art and images is predictable, or happens often or is even controllable, or that we would even want to live in this wonderful feeling state all the time.  But it is wonderful when it happens and I think we can increase our chances of that happening with learning ways to appreciate art.

I’m hoping now you have a glimpse of how a deep reaction to the visual world is so beautiful and connecting.  Now I hope what might be possible with the visuals arts and world has sparked your interest.

Copyright (c)2013-2014 by Lynn Fosnaught.  All rights reserved.  You may translate, link to or quote this article in its entirety, as long as you include the author’s name and a working link back to this website: http://www.artappreciationandmore.com.  Any other use of this article is prohibited.