Following My Art.

Creación de Adán    - Michelangelo, The Sistene Chapel

I love to research the lives of artists.

I've been borderline-obsessed with this topic since I was very young. Learning about the life of the person who created the art helps me to view their pieces with more depth. I can't interpret a work of art comfortably unless I can feel a connection to the artist.

What purpose does this serve in my life? Why do I feel the need to connect in this way? I don't really have an answer to these questions. What I'm certain of is that the importance of needing to connect to art is a driving force in my life. Art has propelled me in different directions. It's the hand of God on my life. It connects me to people. It tells me where I'm going to go to school, what I'm going to do as a profession, what church I'm going to attend, where I'm going to work, and where I'm going to live. So, too, art has been the driving force in the lives of other artists and their work is the visual record of its inspiration.

How did the creative force play a role in the outcome of the artist's life? How connected was the artist to this energy, and how much of their piece was inspired by that? These are all questions that push me further into the art world. There is so much to discover. So many people to meet. So much art to look at and interpret. To me, it's another world to lose myself in. One artist leads me to another, just as a work of art leads me to another. I grow and my life is richer as I continue on this path of discovery.