Cosmic Dance, 10 x 10″ Acrylic on Illustration Board
“Being ‘spiritual’ simply means being willing to look into the nature of life, to ask questions and to wonder, and to listen. It also means seeing art everywhere.”
– Quang Ho
I liked the simplicity of this definition of “spiritual” and its connection to art. It means being curious about the important questions, contemplating what you discover and being open to everything that might teach you.
Spirituality becomes more of a mindset than a set of particular beliefs. This mindset keeps us open to possibility at all times and protects us from rigid doctrine. It’s why people who hold widely differing beliefs can all be considered spiritual – they share this mindset.
When we engage the world with this mindset we see art everywhere. We honor what we find by viewing it as art. We find the beauty and grace in even the smallest thing when we ask questions about it, wonder and listen to what it tells us. The art we find in the world around us serves as the source of inspiration that allows us to create our own art.
Imagine how different you would feel if you did not see the art in the passing clouds, the bloom of early spring flowers, the joyous bustle of the farmers market or the laughter of children at play. Where would our art come from?
Bob Cornelis' Art Blog 
Wonderful, Bob!
It all perfectly describes my own perception and understanding of spirituality. And of Art.
And the painting also is wonderful, and illustrates your words in such a spiritual artistic way!
Je suis sous le charme…
Hello again Bob.
I would like to say two things in response to this post.
Firstly, I am not often pulled to comment on a work, but there is something special about your painting “Cosmic Dance”. In some ways I wish it didn’t have a title, so that I could let my own contemplation of it take full cognisance.
There are very few abstracts that have real depth, in my opinion. (Oooh… did I really say that? Maybe I should have said there are few that hold me for more than a few months!) This one does. I could be lost in it for a long long time.
The second thing? You wrote ” contemplating what you discover and being open to everything that might teach you.” These words, like the image above them, are well worth coming back to. I like your recognition of our constant state of learning. And discovery? I like to discover anew things I had forgotten, and to appreciate the changing shadows, the seasons, all that nature offers.
I often marvel at the effect of dappled light falling across one of my paintings, and think “Why didn’t I think of adding that?”
I do see art everywhere, and often that act of seeing is enough. Other times… well… I just have to paint! But is it for process, or for product? I think I need to go back to painting for process for a while.
Thank you for sharing your image and your words.
THis piece is a dance, a meditation, a poem, a prayer and a song, all in one. If this were on a big canvas it would be hanging in a museum with a bunch of people standing mesmerised by it.
Big or small, it,s a powerful piece, Bob (and then you have all those machines: you can reproduce it 3 x 3 feet, I supose?)
First, I thought you are citing Robert Henri (The Art Spirit) but then I saw that if fact, it was spirituality…Even more interesting! (I,ve just finished some book by Deepak Chopra, I very interesting personality, who changed some of my ways of thinking…I understand now that you can become a spiritual person from an atheist or an agnostic…)
I think you got something here, bob! acrylics are a marvelous medium, flexible and surprinsing and I was always telling myself since I’ve dicovered it in 2000 (around): «Imagine Vincent with acrylics!» We really are some lucky ones! (I was about to write bastards but then I would have speak only for myself…) Texture and forms, mixtures and saturation of colors… Wait till you start experimenting with transparent washes of acrylics!
Can I make you a suggestion of theme? what about a series of « abstract landscapes» à la de Stael? with the horizon line? Just modestly and friendly suggesting…
Danu
You bring up a couple of things I’ve been thinking about. One is printing reproductions of some of these smaller pieces much larger, probably on canvas. It’s always strange to reproduce larger than the original but, why not?
I’ve also been pondering the abstract landscape – very appealing to me, but a little intimidating too! Feels a tiny bit restricting, forcing me to introduce a touch of reality – probably harder than pure non-objective. But I think this will be my next series – I’ll credit you with the idea!
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