🔵 By Shane Espinoza. Photo by lauragrafie.
This morning I had an amazing talk with my parents. My mom has been creating art for many years. She is 82 years old and was recently invited to show her art in a gallery in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Through the years she has painted, constructed, drawn and pieced together numerous works of art. Each piece has a story to tell about her life. She has a three piece series of her studio floor. It’s currently on display at the gallery with a “Not for Sale” tag on it. One of the patrons of the gallery admired it and said she would be back on Sunday because she wanted to make an offer. My mom said she would not sell it because the paintings evoke a lot of peaceful and pleasant memories for her. Art has a way of doing that for both artists and collectors. People tend to buy the emotion that art stimulates rather than the actual piece itself. The art tells a story, people like stories they can relate to. When someone takes you on an adventure through their art, you become engaged and want to be part of it. The art, the story and the adventure create an emotional connection that keeps us engaged. It reminds us that we are alive.
Thomas Kinkade was known as the “Painter of Light”. His paintings create a sense of serenity and peace in any observer. You could easily imagine yourself in the cabin by the lake, feeling the sun break through the clouds while listening to the waterfall in the background. It was amazing how fast I could get lose in one of his paintings. Emotions are the chemical creations of memories. When we see a piece of artwork and listen to the story behind it, we can be reminded of another time. We may have felt a certain way or experienced something raw. The same emotion will reappear and feel as strong in this moment as if was in the memory. In prison it is easy to forget what it felt like to actually feel. Our memories can bring those feelings back and make us feel alive.
Being creative has helped me remember how to feel. I find that when my mind is quiet and peaceful I can draw or write for hours. Time stands still. A higher frequency energy pulses through me. It is that flow of energy that keeps me going. Art allows me to connect with that place inside of me where emotion lives. It is there that I get to create and explore. My story is not finished and I have a lot more creating to do. My adventure is just beginning.