By Arlene Oriel
I have been a big fan of Andrea’s idea for The Gartden ever since she first told me about it. I loved the idea of using art to bring people together for workshops, and to eventually open an art cafe where people could come in to do various art and craft projects. I was ecstatic when she and Francis offered me a role on the Gartden team. Art is something I’ve always appreciated, both for what it is, and for what it can do for people who are creating it and experiencing it.
One of the beauties of art is that there are so many different ways to create it because there are an endless number of both conventional and unconventional mediums to make art. Painting, drawing, writing poetry, writing books, graphic designing, and creating music are just some of the ways that someone can use to make some form of art. Art is such an important thing because we can use it to express ideas, thoughts, and feelings–especially those that we otherwise might have difficulty expressing in a concrete, literal way.
Another significant aspect of art that I feel compelled to mention is that it can be open to interpretation and can mean a completely different thing to each person. While the artist has their personal intentions for their art piece when they’re creating it, someone else can extract a much different meaning from that exact same piece. Our unique worldviews and perspectives play a huge part in how we relate to art.
Art can also be such a cathartic thing, both from creating it and consuming or experiencing it. I see myself helping others by encouraging them to explore and take advantage of this cathartic side of art. It can be a way for us to channel strong emotions or energy that we might not really know what to do with. When I find myself overwhelmed, one of my favorite ways to cool down is by listening to music. I mainly gravitate towards happy music when I want to feel happy, or really angsty punk rock or emo music when I’m a little upset about something and want to allow myself to feel whatever I’m feeling before I’m ready to better my mood. Sometimes you just gotta let yourself feel however you’re feeling. And there is no right way to do this, you can pretty much use any art medium as a means of catharsis. One of my hopes while working with The Gartden is to help others find the best ways that art can help them release any negative or overwhelming emotions too, and then help them also use art to restore their happiness.
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