"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls."  Pablo Piccasso

Living a rich, well-considered life, -- attaining a state of grace -- state of bliss is what life is about; finding the essence and connection to who we are.  Being fully present and aware, affects all we do, all we touch, all we come in contact with.

Recently someone, what living a rich, well-considered life meant.  To me, living a rich, well-considered life is making the conscious effort to be more aware, engaged, living fully each moment.  It is embracing each experience, stepping into it deeply and having a lucious and rich experience.

Our surroundings influence us on many levels.  But, it is easy to take things, people, our surroundings for granted.  It is hard not to be overwhelmed with all that our fast paced world has going on.  The list is endless of life's daily demands.  We are inundated with constant noise and activity.  So what we surround ourselves with is very important and the question is do we live in chaos or conscious awareness?

I'm sure most people would say of course we should live fully, richly.  But the question is do we?  And if you do how so?  Share with us, what enriches your life.

What I have found is that as my appreciation for art has developed, my appreciation for life, appreciation of others and connecting with others, has also increased and developed more fully.  It has expanded my horizons.  I find my ability to see and understand different view points has grown.   Engaging with art on a regular basis helps me see the world more vividly, more acutely.  It has raised my awareness and my desire to live fully and with intention.

Unfortunately, some people are not really comfortable with art, because they incorrectly believe that if they engage in this arena, they have to talk the talk, know the right words, descriptions and techniques.   Not so.  Art is individual and touches people in many different ways, which is part of its beauty.  There is no requirement that one have the ability to express in words what one sees with the eyes and the other senses.  Many times the experience is far beyond words. 

As with anything, the more one learns, the more one gains.  So it is true that learning about art can provide increased insight and trigger deeper understanding.  Just taking the time to really look at and engage in an artwork increases awareness and understanding.  It fine tunes the senses.  And, as the senses develop so does awareness and the ability to live richly and fully.

Art is our universal language.  Long before the written word, art was the means of communicating, and documenting life.  Art conveys feeling and emotion.  It is quiet, it is loud, it soothes, it excites, it teaches - it touches.  Art is a window, perhaps even a mirror to the soul. 

For more information or further discussion contact Kris Wilkerson at Wilkerson Fine Art, 745-9557 or visit www.wilkersonfineart.com