Experiencing Art in the Moment and Beyond: Wherever You Are

In a previous post, I wrote about how strong autobiographical themes can permeate and focus the work of many artists. Now, I wonder about the influences and possibilities within you, how you can experience and perhaps express your artful capacities in the moment and beyond.

Spur of the Moment

A friend told me what she did after she heard me mention Shari’s and my arting adventure for ourselves and others on this blog. Instead of going first to our website, she pulled out her own book on Michaelangelo, opening it at random on her dining room table. Delighted with her rediscovery of his letting the image emerge from the block of marble he had at hand, she read further. The experience then encouraged her to keep exploring.

What emerges for you from what you have at hand to open, pull out or touch? What materials or associations come to mind from examples such as:

A book
Pieces of fabric
Yarn and needles
Colored paper
Crayons and color pencils
Magazine images to cut out for a collage (see my first one at the end)
Languishing accumulations of ___ to repurpose

What image, idea or vision would you imagine releasing from any of these resources or others you have at hand? Maybe try a sketch of an idea as I did below. It’s a 1995 example of one of my first attempts in my first book. Notice “e pluribus disunum” written on the eagle’s wing, unfortunately even more relevant today.

As you’ll see in this sketch, drawing talent is not necessary

Or, to proceed yourself, use shells, a piece of driftwood and fishing chord to create your own mobile as my engineer father did after retiring. Perhaps take an old puzzle and juxtapose pieces to create an abstraction of color. Got any clay or wood to meld or use on its own?.

Consider your own filters

Here are some personal filters to notice, adjust and play with as you explore art. Choose among:

Your eyesight and the lighting where you are viewing art
How you’re feeling at the time, from mood to health
Your level of confidence in interpreting, appreciating or understanding a particular artwork
How much time, patience and curiosity you have
How you act, whether you are alone or with someone else

Here are some immediate environmental influences:

Noise and numbers of people
Quiet place to sit, look, cogitate, wonder or ____
Comfort: air conditioning and humidity as examples
Technological supports and possible associated costs
Accessibility of related information or explanations

How you feel about the art within your sight:

Do you stick with old favorites you enjoy or seek entirely new views?
Are your choices mixtures of new and familiar approaches?
Are you bored, stimulated, annoyed, disturbed, thrilled, amused or sensing combinations of emotions?
Do you want to discuss what you’ve seen or noticed at the time, if possible, now and/or later?
Are you transported to another world or place in your imagination?

If you haven’t already guessed, the bullets above are offered to lure you to some awareness and refreshment of your routines as well as ways of thinking and feeling. Given all the variables and combinations, you may simplify your thinking by just noticing any patterns you have among them while looking at art.

Step forward. When you feel ready or at least curious, think about what’s next for you as you move ahead. I hope skimming what’s below for anything that attracts your attention will help you look better (double meaning intended).

Before diving in, though, perhaps pause for some minutes and take some deep breaths. Then, start playing with the suggestions for a gift of possible adventure through art in any version that has meaning for you. Whether neatly articulated or not, choose or adapt anything that appeals. Do add your own ideas, inclinations and choices.

Identify partners for exploring. Find a partner for open-ended play and learning as Shari and I did over five years ago. Often, it may take time, listening and experimenting with worthwhile approaches to develop and come to some fruition.

Let your curiosity lead you. Imagine some aspect of art about which you’re curious or that has tangential connection to earning your living, improving your health or connecting with interesting people or ideas.

Be your own goalie. Choose a skill, aspect of knowledge or new area that can be received through exploring art, however you define it.

Start in your community, Connect with an aspect of your community that relates to art.

Explore AI or other technologies that interest you. Explore the relationships and iterations of AI for playtime, learning and collaborations.

Find art in a range of places including food preparation. In addition to pleasurable smells and taste, notice how textures and colors are combined and juxtaposed.

Practice looking at art for 10 minutes: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/02/02/upshot/ten-minute-challenge-hunters.html?unlocked_article_code=1.vk4.vnXS.O5e8bQSiiI1d&smid=em-share

Here is my first collage, Belly Button Blues. It draws humorous attention to sustained overthinking or over focusing on your belly button, as it’s said. That’s where you’ll likely just find fuzz instead of the open-ended adventure of manageable action.