By Suzette Boulais
Professional Visual Artist
Peoria, Illinois
Suzette Boulais Fine Art Gallery
Boulais Red Easel Gallery
As a subscriber to an online e-newsletter called The Painters Keys, I was impressed by a recent column written by Robert Genn in which he addressed the importance of seeking out those activities that are so fulfilling that they leave no room for doubt. We simply must do them. In fact, when we don’t engage in those activities that fulfill the passionate side of ourselves, we run the risk of leading lives of quiet desperation about which famed poet Henry David Thoreau has written.
Genn’s column begins with a quote by famous psychologist Abraham Maslow: "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write--if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be."
So the million-dollar question for each of us is: How do we find our own, individual “must?”
According to Maslow, you don’t find your own personal “must” until other basic life needs are met, such as the need for food, shelter, comfort, and stability. The disadvantaged mother on the poor side of town is unlikely to discover her passionate, creative side when she is concerned with feeding her children and keeping them in shoes for the winter. While she may have a potential for writing beautiful poetry or sketching her children’s faces, in her survival mode, her potential goes untapped. The same applies to the soldier who has been called to fight in a war. At this point in his life, staying alive on the battlefield, not pursuing the passions of his heart, is his basic life need.
Yet, for those of us who have been fortunate enough to have had our
basic life needs met and, if we haven’t been plagued by difficult life
circumstances such as war, famine, or poverty, we have a unique
opportunity, perhaps even an obligation, to seek out those peak
experiences that allow us to lead fully meaningful lives. When we are
called to become all we can be, therein lies our “must.” In our quest
to become fully engaged in our lives, our “must” might be to advocate
for social change. We might feel our “must” is to embark on a new
career path, even if it involves taking a smaller paycheck and odd work
hours. It may mean we “must” use our recreational time to engage in a
hobby that family, friends, and neighbors raise their eyebrows over.
Regardless, those who “must” advance in the direction of their dreams,
to those who consciously listen to the beat of their own drum, however
measured or far away, ultimately become what the psychologist Maslow
calls “self-actualized.”
In the Painters Keys e-newsletter I found so inspiring, Robert Genn
speaks directly to artists, but his words speak to all of us about
becoming “self-actualized” when he writes, “Systematically study,
understand, and neutralize the effects of lower needs. Accept the world
in all of its complexity, mystery, and ambiguity. Take cues from the
winners in this world, not the losers. Keep the company of the doers,
not the talkers. Play your personal game on as many levels as you're
able. Fall in love with your processes, innovations, dreams, and higher
ideals. Be sensitive to and welcome the arrival of peak experiences.
Have no guilt when you see yourself becoming compulsive and proactive.
Allow yourself to be swept up in your personal ‘must.’”
So why be swept up in our own personal “must?” Because when we do,
we aspire to create something that not only feeds our souls, but
inevitably contributes on some level to all humanity – our personal
happiness.
Since 2003, Suzette Boulais has served as the executive director of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois, Inc., a city-funded, non-profit organization that promotes the arts as a vital component of the Peoria area's cultural and economic development.
Her interest in painting is relatively new. After taking an introductory painting class, she soon gravitated to painting and designing her own notecard line, HeartART, which is now being carried by several floral shops around town and are featured in this article.
Regarding her larger paintings, She patterns her work after artist Mark Rothko, whose abstractions deal with basic color schemes, combinations, and shapes that evoke a simple mood or impression.
"Painting has become a tremendously rewarding activity in my life. I find it inspiring because I never know how each piece will turn out. It never ceases to amaze me how each and every piece of art takes on a creative life of its own."
It appears that Suzette has found the Art of Happiness. Thank you Suzette for your wonderful article!
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