By Carol Gould, Visual Arts Faculty

The dictionary definition of art is “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” I think that is a terrific definition, but as an artist and educator, I think it is so much more than that.

Art is inextricably interwoven with life. I adore the feel of clay as it slides through my fingers on the potter’s wheel and love the smell of fresh paint spread thinly on crisp paper, but it is the sculpting of agile minds that brings me gleefully to work and gleans the biggest rewards.

“Art is more than a discipline or talent. It is a foundational aspect of our humanity,” says Deborah Reeve, Executive Director of the NAEA. Indeed, I have witnessed confidence-building and community-making in the art rooms of Forest Ridge in this first quarter of school. Art is a language we can all speak, and in its purest form, it allows us, no matter how young or old, to create something totally unique that was born in our own imaginations.

Martha Graham said it best, “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.”

I believe we are giving each young woman the time and space to define art for herself. We are providing the tools she needs to bring her unique visual voice into the world.

Together we will create art that will shape new perspectives, lead to different conversations, foster greater connections and a further commitment to collaboration and community for us all.

Art has meaning beyond its definition!