Featured Artist Spotlight Series: The Beauty of Creation
By Skywing Knights // October 4, 2018
“The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before. “
–“Happiness, Our Heritage” by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Hello again everyone,
It occurred to me recently that there is so much beauty in the world, thanks in part to the creativity of so many people around us. We are born in a beautiful world. A world where inspired, imaginative people surround us and influence us. And yes, they even teach us about our own divine abilities to be creative ourselves. In speaking on our creative nature as human beings, in one of my favorite talks, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:
“The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter….
Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty…
Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty.”
In the world today, we are perhaps more connected with one another than at any other point in the history of mankind. This is largely thanks to instant communication via TV and the Internet. In part then thanks to the creative minds that brought us television and the home computer, we are able to see art work by others and share our own creativity at the push of a button.
The many forms beauty can take around us can wow us, inspire us, and humble us, as proved in multitude by the pages dedicated to art all over the world wide web. How can anyone then deny that we truly have a wonderful gift in that we are born with desire to create new things?
But why? Why do we have such a desire? Why were we fashioned in such a way? Elder Uchtdorf continues and answers this question as well:
“But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fullness of joy. “
How beautiful and amazing is that? To be created with the “express purpose… of experiencing a fullness of joy”. No wonder we wish to share what beauty we can make, regardless of the mediums in which we choose to do so! Because, really, when we get down to it, creation brings us and others joy!
For this very reason, I am dedicating the “Featured Artist Spotlight Series” of blog articles to artists of all mediums. I wanted to dedicate it to those who inspire me to create, to be a better person, and to share what I’ve learned with others.
So let’s learn together and create together. Let’s encourage each other to be the best that we can be, both as artists and as people. I hope in this series, you will find someone who inspires you with their art. Perhaps, they will even give you the motivation to create something new and beautiful as well.
As Ludwig van Beethoven once said:
“Don’t only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine.”
To read more or hear more from Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, you can visit lds.org and search for his talks OR this weekend on Oct. 6-7th, 2018, you can listen to him live on lds.org during General Conference.
Till next time, please do check out all the wonderful artists in the Featured Artist Spotlight Series!
~Skywing
