This is my first painting of ’24. I am very pleased with it. 11×17 Watercolor on tan paper.
As seems to now frequently be the case, the news is bleak. It is the duty for all artists to do their thing. Not put political messages into their works but rather offer up something outside of the here and now, which will some day be over. Facilitate inspiration and show that there are things bigger than ourselves, which are eternal. Things like art, culture, beauty and the general human condition.
The reason why artists such as Shakespeare & Homer are still so revered is because they reflect the human condition. Of course the social mores & politics have changed but things like joy, desire, grief, we can all relate. And that is one of the things art should do, relink us, especially now.
If one is not an artist, as important as the creating is the viewing. An artist with no audience becomes akin to the riddle about the tree in the forest. Take the occasional break from doom-scrolling. Try to If not every time, then every other time, when the urge arises to engage someone in what will ultimately be a futile bad vibe exchange over points of views, instead explore a new painter, author or piece of music.
In this way, with very little effort we can all improve the zeitgeist.