The Rewards of a Creative Life

Dear Curious,

Last month, I had the privilege of being the guest author at the monthly Gallery Reception at the Marco Island Center for the Arts, an organization that has served the arts community in our area since 1969. Participants were enjoying original art while meeting the artists. There was an exuberant energy in the building. Of course, the same can be said about the energy at a basketball game but since we’re talking about the arts, I’m setting the scene—joy and enthusiasm.

To answer your question more specifically, I believe participation in and enjoyment of the arts remind us what it means to be human. Music, stories, paintings, dance, and theater help us express joy, grief, hope, and longing. In times of stress or uncertainty, the arts offer comfort, meaning, and a way to make sense of our experiences.

Regarding your statement about arts in public schools, educational researcher Elliot Eisner once wrote, “The arts teach children to make good judgments about qualitative relationships. Unlike much of the curriculum in which correct answers and rules prevail, in the arts, it is judgment rather than rules that prevail.”

In other words, the arts train the mind to notice nuance, tolerate ambiguity, and think creatively—skills that are essential not only for artists, but also for scientists, engineers, and innovators.

Just as important, the arts keep our minds flexible and our hearts open. They invite curiosity, empathy, and imagination—qualities that help us connect more deeply with ourselves and one another.

I believe that whether we’re creating or simply appreciating art, we’re practicing attention, reflection, and wonder. In doing so, the arts quietly enrich our daily lives and remind us that beauty and meaning are always within reach.

Perhaps you’ll take the word of Oscar Wilde, Irish poet, playwright, and author who wrote, “Art is a means of union among men (people), joining them together in the same feelings.”