Article February 9, 1981 Issue

Spirituality deepens artistic talent

HARRIETTE J. ANDERSON

As is true of other serious craftsmen, my occupation brings me into contact with people who work in many media. The talents of some grow, others stand still, and some fall by the wayside.

One day a colleague said she felt her ability was very limited. She had just been rejected from a juried show—an experience most artists go through at some time. And then she added a familiar comment: "I want to find myself." She said she wanted to do something special that others would appreciate.

In thinking about our conversation later, I found a number of useful concepts that I'd learned from my study of Christian Science and that I was able to share. I told her that sometimes we think certain obstacles to progress may be indications that our ability is limited. But before we attempt to express creative ability, whatever the art form, an important step is to clarify our purpose. Is our ultimate goal self-glorification, or is it the acknowledgment that God is the only source and we, as His children, are expressing His love for us through our work?

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Am I a twenty-four-hour-a-day Christian?