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Artists have a way of looking at the world that can be enriching to the lives of other individuals. Although we all benefit from occasions when viewing the works of great art from contemporary and historical periods, there are many artists among us with a potential to contribute to deepening the way we see and experience life on a daily basis.
Relating to early recollections, about one out of six people report instances of experiencing color in their remembrances. These individuals are "color-minded" and tend to seek out colors in a variety of hues in their environment. They frequently locate colors in their lives and find experiences with color to be mood-elevating. Most often, those with color in their first memories have an artistic inclination and an appreciation or sensitivity to art that is compelling. This does not mean, however, that people without color in their remembrances lack an appreciation or sensitivity to art; instead, the presence of color in early recollections suggests an orientation to art that seems particularly fitting to the person.
Let me give an everyday example of how my life was enriched by an encounter with an artist. Recently, I attended a social gathering at a friend's house. Before entering the living room where people were gathered, I walked through a hall and a kitchen area. One of the first persons that I met said that she was a local artist with a current interest in watercolors. I later learned that Linda lived on Cape Cod, and was well-known in the region for her artwork.
As I often find myself doing, I asked Linda to relate an early childhood memory, and she began, "I was about three and standing at the window. I can see a car lot across the street. Some bright lights above the objects are shining on the cars. One car was a bright shade of turquoise that was changing as the light hit it—bouncing around." In response to my question about the most important part of the memory, Linda related, "The changing light bouncing around." I then asked how she felt at that point, and she said, "Amazing."
After Linda shared her first memory, I asked her, "What did you notice in the house when you first walked in?" She quickly responded, "The painting on the wall and the carved wooden bar stools in the kitchen." Even though I entered the house the same way as Linda, I did not observe the painting or the stools. Only later in the evening did I take the time to see the vivid colors in the painting and appreciate the beauty of the hand-crafted stools. Through Linda's prompting, in a small way, my life was enriched by experiencing the artistic pieces that I would have overlooked.
Although we can always appreciate works of visual artists through their creative endeavors, it is also possible to simply ask individuals with an artistic orientation to describe how they "see" various objects and scenes in order to enhance our own perceptions. As in the case of my experience with the painting and chairs, we can all grow in awareness and sensitivity to the beauty of our world through the eyes of others.
