Depth and Deep Meaning in Art

As I'd assume it to be very obvious, art can be a hobby and simply that, art can have very surface level meaning behind it, but as I touched on in my last post, art can bring in a deeper meaning and can have a deeper depth to it. For starters, a painting of a storm, perhaps a tornado or hurricane could resemble an internal anger that the artist is suffering from. things happen to each and every person.  Some people are lucky, and only mild hardships find them, while others go through much hardship and suffering, and these hardships can appear in pretty much any form. Sometimes an artist has had an amazing several weeks, months, or so on, and experienced the beauty in life, extreme joy, happiness, or excitement.  An artist may express this with a portrait of a peaceful scenery in nature or sunshine.

An artist battling struggles and hardship may be vague and not to specific in what is going on in their life, and will present darker stormy like portraits, or pieces of art that are meant to give off a darker vibe to the viewer.  Other times the artist might feel they want to be more open, perhaps they have been through a serious trauma that others have faced as well and want to bring awareness through their art, or perhaps they have some kind of battle with mental illness, for instance an artist who has schizophrenia may be able to create unimaginable art of things they have seen that no one else has, and with that they have a gift! instead of saying "this artist has mental illness." you could say "this artist has a gift and can see what we cannot."  An artist may be facing anxiety or depression, and might therefore show darker artwork, and that is okay!  Art again as I have said before, can be a way for one to express.  Sometimes an artist who has anxiety or depression can show fun and lighthearted art as well, because that style can help them get out of a dark place.  Art is amazing in what it can do for people and how it can effect our lives.

An artist who is generally happy and does not face to many trails is not to be assumed as someone with an easy life, they to may have had a hard past, or may have a hard future, but when an artist find them self in a good place, they can often reflect that in their art, or reflect past memories of hardship with their art.  Many artists reflect on their current life or mindset, and their life in the past or their old mindset. 

Artists may also reflect on a general hardship in the world or that they know many people have suffered from.  You simply can't judge an artist by their art, just like you can't judge a book by it's cover.  It is common for people to think "oh, what a dark piece of art, this artist must be (fill in the blank)" or "oh what lighthearted artwork, this artist must have an easy life or (fill in the blank)"  But that is simply a stereotype.  Look at a piece of art and think about the piece alone, how does it reflect on you?  How does it make you feel?  What have you learned from seeing this work of art?  When you think like that, your mind will become much more open and you will fin a deep and beautiful meaning in art. 

"Huh? Whaaa?"

House on a Hill

Flower or Gratitude

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