Welcome,
Awake and creative.
This beautiful space of reflection is here for us together today.
Find a comfortable position,
Allow your breath to deepen and perhaps have a journal at hand or a quiet space for some personal contemplation.
My name is Patricia Baldwin Segerbrook.
I'm deeply passionate about the role of art and creativity in navigating our complex world.
Today,
We're going to explore the unique and essential contribution artists and creators,
Especially during times of struggle and unrest,
Guided by the incredibly insightful words of the Nobel Prize winning author Doris Lessing.
Lessing's wisdom resonates powerfully with many of us today.
She wrote,
Once a writer has a feeling of responsibility as a human being for other human beings they influence.
It seems to me they must become a humanist and must feel themselves as an instrument of change for good or for bad,
An architect of the soul.
But if one is going to be an architect,
One must have a vision to build towards and that vision must spring from the nature of the world lived in.
Artists are the traditional interpreters of dreams and nightmares and this is no time to turn our backs on our chosen responsibilities,
Which is what we should be doing if we refuse to share in the deeper anxieties,
Terrors,
And hopes of human beings everywhere.
These words,
To me,
Offer a profound call to action,
But one that perhaps looks different for each of us.
As we unpack Lessing's thoughts,
We'll explore the idea that not all of us are called to be rebels on the front line,
But that some of us are here,
Vital and necessary,
To envision and build the architecture of the future once destructive forces recede.
This is the sacred work of the artist and creator.
The artist is an instrument of change.
Lessing begins with the idea of responsibility.
Once a writer has a feeling of responsibility as a human being for the other human beings they influence,
It seems to me they must become a humanist and must feel themselves as an instrument of change for good or for bad,
An architect of the soul.
She's not suggesting we choose a political stance,
But rather recognizing the inherent impact of our creative work.
Every story told,
Every image painted,
Every melody composed,
Every sculpture shaped influences.
They shift perception,
Evoke emotions,
And plant seeds of thought.
We are,
Whether we consciously intend it or not,
Instruments of change.
And what of that beautiful phrase,
Architect of the soul?
What does it mean to be an architect of the soul?
I believe it means shaping an inner landscape,
Designing spaces for contemplation,
Connection,
Healing,
And even perhaps discomfort that leads to growth.
It's about building the internal structures within ourselves and then within others that allow for human flourishing.
This responsibility is profound,
Not a burden,
But a deep calling.
It asks us to be mindful of what we are building,
What emotional or spiritual spaces we are creating or exploring within our art.
If you have a journal handy,
Pull it out.
Otherwise,
Close your eyes and reflect as we contemplate some questioning.
What kind of architecture are you currently building with your art?
What emotional states,
Spiritual insights,
Or human connections are you creating or exploring?
How does your art subtly influence those who encounter it?
Pause this talk and take a few minutes to process these questions and answer them for yourself so that the architecture of your soul is firmly established as you go out to share it with others.
Now,
Let's take a look at the vision we are building towards as artists.
Lesson continues.
But if one is going to be an architect,
One must have a vision to build towards.
And that vision must spring from the nature of the world we live in.
This is crucial.
Our art is not an escape from reality,
But a profound response to it.
Our visions for the future must be rooted in an understanding of the present moment,
Its challenges,
Its beauty,
Its pains,
And its hope.
We are living through a time of intense struggle and unrest globally.
It's so easy to feel overwhelmed,
To feel like we must all be on the front lines,
Protesting every injustice,
Advocating for every cause.
And indeed,
Many beautiful,
Courageous souls are called to this essential work,
And we must honor them deeply.
However,
I believe that not all of us are here to be solely rebels and advocates against the current injustices.
Some of us,
And perhaps this is a unique calling of the artist and creator,
Are here to do something equally vital,
To fill the gap once these negative,
Inhuman forces are abolished,
Or even as they begin to recede.
We are the ones who must carry the vision for what comes next.
While some dismantle,
Others must envision and build the new.
We are the architects of the soul,
Who offer blueprints,
Colors,
Textures,
Melodies for the world healed,
Reconnected,
Transformed.
Our art,
In this context,
Becomes a powerful act of hope,
A demonstration of what is possible,
A subtle but persistent beacon.
Again,
Let's take a moment of reflection.
Given this nature of the world we live in,
What kind of future,
What kind of human experience do you wish to build towards with your art?
How can your work subtly,
Or explicitly,
Point to possibility,
Healing,
And a different way of being?
Lessing's final lines in this powerful passage reinforce the artist's unique role.
Artists are the traditional interpreters of dreams and nightmares,
And this is no time to turn our backs on our chosen responsibilities,
Which is what we should be doing if we refuse to share in the deep anxiety,
Errors,
And hopes of human beings everywhere.
We are the ones who can process,
Articulate,
And translate the unspoken,
The deep anxieties,
The collective terrors,
But also the enduring hopes that define our human experience.
This doesn't always mean creating literal representations of current events.
Often,
It's much more profound than that.
Through metaphor,
Through abstraction,
This captures the feelings,
Through beauty that offers respite,
Or through stories that illuminate shared humanity.
Art provides a mirror for us to see ourselves,
A balm for our wounds,
And a powerful call to action,
All by engaging these fundamental human emotions.
Our responsibility isn't to solve every problem,
But to hold the space for these emotions,
To give them form,
To invite dialogue.
When we interpret these dreams and nightmares,
We help others process,
Connect,
And find their own paths forward.
Take hold of your journal once again,
Or close your eyes in reflection.
How do the anxieties,
Terrors,
And hopes of our current world show up in your creative work,
Even indirectly?
How does your art offer interpretation,
Solace,
A question,
Or inspiration to those who encounter it?
Beyond rebellion and towards reconstruction,
The artist's unique contribution.
Let's delve deeper into this idea that not all of us are here to be rebels and advocates against the current injustices,
That some of us must be here to fill the gap once these negative inhuman forces are abolished.
This is the part of the artist and creator.
This perspective validates the diverse ways we can contribute.
While some must bravely confront injustice,
The artist's unique power lies in showing what is possible.
When systems break down,
When old structures crumble,
There's a vacuum.
What fills that void?
It's the stories of resilience,
The images of unity,
The melodies of peace,
The forms of connection that artists create.
We are the visionaries who help prepare the soul for a different way of being.
We create the cultural fabric of the after,
Of the new.
Our art embodies hope,
Resilience,
Connection,
And peace,
Even amidst chaos.
This is a profound,
Often quiet,
But absolutely essential form of activism.
It's the activism of imagination,
Of empathy,
Of showing the world what it means to be human in its fullest,
Most compassionate expression.
Your art isn't just a painting or a poem.
It's a piece of the blueprint for a more human future.
If you're inclined toward your studio today as you finish this talk and contemplation,
Consider creating one piece or a series that explicitly explores or embodies a positive future state you envision for humanity.
How can your art become a space of hope,
An example of harmony,
Or a vision of healing?
I hope this exploration has illuminated the profound and vital role you play as an artist and creator in our world today.
Remember Lessing's wisdom.
You are an architect of the soul,
Tasked with a vision that springs from the world we inhabit.
You are an interpreter of its deepest fears and its most soaring hopes.
And crucially,
You are one of those essential builders,
Creating the new that will fill the gaps left by the passing of old,
Harmful ways.
Your art,
In whatever form it takes,
Is a beacon of hope,
A bridge to understanding,
And an essential blueprint for the future we are all striving to build together.
Embrace this unique and powerful contribution.
Thank you for joining me today.
May your creative journey be filled with deep purpose,
Unwavering vision,
And the profound joy of building a better world one piece of art at a time.
Awaken Creative.
Today.
