Why Art?

Why Art?

As a Musical Theater major, I get this question pretty often. Sometime with a judging tone, implying I'm going to be a starving artist for the rest of my life. Sometime with skepticism, assuming this is just a "phase" and I'll go back and get my masters in business after my undergrad. But my favorite is with genuine curiosity.

The first time I was ever asked this question with genuine curiosity was my first day of Acting 1 my freshman year of college. Alex Miller asked us to come inside, get on the floor, crawl around and moo like cows. And every one of us did so. Then he proceeded to ask us to do other outrageous things, all for the sake of making us feel foolish and then to "get the f*** over feeling foolish." And it worked. That bubble of "I'm too cool" was instantly popped because the only other option was to just stand in the middle of the room over 15 other students mooing.

When we returned back to "normal" students, he asked us to get our notebooks out and answer this question "Why Art?"

At first I was like, "pshhhh I've get this, I'm awesome, I totally know the answer, I'm going to get it right, back off, I've been performing since I was seven-years-old." But then I actually went to answer the question, and I couldn't put it into words, but I didn't know why.


For my whole life, all I've ever wanted to do was perform. I knew I HAD to perform, but I didn't know why.

It was never for the sake of fame, or money, or because I wasn't good at anything else, or because it was the only way I could get into college. My soul had to be performing. It was more of a feeling than a reason, but I still was unable to answer the question, so then I began to write about how I felt and what art felt like to me.

It became very clear to me that there was no "right" answer.

Now it is nearly two years later, and I still go back to this thought, this moment in time, this journal entry, and I reflect upon and revive my need to be involved in the arts.

So today, 7/13/15 here is my answer: Why Art?

Art is healing. Everyone person on this earth has their on personal experiences. And each one of us that experiences any type of art has some kind of reaction. And for each person, that reaction is as entirely unique and special as a finger print. The reaction that art causes us to produce is some kind of emotion. A beautiful, human emotion that should be acknowledge and respected. Art encourages us to feel our emotions and acknowledge them. It is our job to not judge the emotions that occur, but rather, welcome our emotions with open arms.

In a world where everyone is too focused on technology, or too busy to truly acknowledge one another, or too busy to even listen to our own emotions, art forces you to pause and have an emotion. It's inevitable. So pause, experience your emotion, and reflect on it, even if just for a second.

My other acting teacher read this poem to us many times this last year and it could not be more applicable.

"The Guest House"

by Jelaluddin Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.