Lately, I have been overwhelmed with photos showing the devastation of other people's loss; their homes, family, possessions, pets, freedom, citizenship, privacy and on and on. It is unthinkable how I might survive when I have lost everything.
There was a march in Dallas this morning for artists who had lost their work and homes in the south Texas flood. Talking to my friend Joan Davidow, a gallery director in Dallas, I said how can we justify focusing on something as frivolous as acquiring art or jewelry at a time when people have lost far more basic necessities. Her answer was "celebrate your safety". We should mark the occasion that we and our loved ones are safe; most of us still have our homes and jobs and lives as we know them.
Art can offer beauty at times when life is bleak and full of chaos. The meaning we attach to a beautiful thing can help it serve as a talisman for hope, luck and gratitude. Today I'm feeling extremely grateful. I picked blue/indigo pieces from the collection this week as a symbols of safety and stability; we all need talismans for that.
