Art Mission Statement

By Jonathan Shih

      Art and the art of painting, in particular, is a universal language that has no boundaries. Art is a vehicle for exploring the subconscious realms of the mind and penetrating the metaphysical dimensions of our psyche. Art can be a shelter from the deadlines and bustles of everyday life. 

      A sanctuary of harmony and beauty that transcends normal understanding and can enrich our lives. Art is a bridge that connects us to the past and is a window to the future. In the whole of mankind’s story, artists have been a part of that rich heritage. 

      Amidst the wars and tribulations that plagued mankind throughout history, the Artist has kept the faith in continuing the legacy of Art, but Art is not a refuge in a physical sense, rather a spiritual refuge, where one’s soul and mind can be invigorated and renewed. 

      The artist’s mission then is to interpret the world around him, to express his emotions from his soul. Art has become not merely a decoration, but an avenue for expression. A language of the spirit. In this sense Art, has an elevation comparable to religion. In so as religion draws us closer to the Almighty, Art draws us in union with the Divine creation, nature itself, and in conjunction, the nature of man. 

       In this post-modern era, man has forgotten his roots in the natural world and his beginnings from the Divine Creator. For the Almighty has bestowed upon the few, the gift of creative powers. Like God himself, the artist has to arrange his work in order for it to reflect the beauty of Divine Creation. 

       Art has survived the ages, and indeed, with it, the Artist. Through the darkest times, the true artist has persevered with a conviction and dignity like no other. Remaining faithful to his ideals and belief in himself and in his God-given creative gifts. A powerful force inspired from the Divine Creator Himself. 

       A true artist then, is a prophet, a visionary who has been given divine insight. Is there something else that’s as compelling and influential as Artistic creation? 

       As Charles Baudelaire once said, “ A good painting, faithful and equal to the dream that gave birth to it, must be created like the world. Just as the creation we see is the result of several creations, of which earlier ones were always made more complete by the next, so a painting if handled harmoniously, consists of a series of superimposed pictures, where each layer gives more reality to the dream and makes it rise another step toward perfection.”