ARTIST BRIAN SIMONS GALLERY ONLINE
PHILOSOPHY
THE ROLE OF THE ARTIST IN SOCIETY IS THAT OF A BENEFACTOR. HIS JOB IS NOT TO FIT IN AND BE COMFORTABLE AND HAVE A NICE LIFE. HE IS CALLED TO A MUCH NOBLER TASK AND A MUCH HIGHER IDEAL. HE IS CALLED UPON TO IMPACT THE CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION IN A MEANINGFUL AND UPLIFTING FASHION WHICH WILL LEAVE LASTING BENEFIT TO HIS FELLOW MAN. HOWEVER DESIRABLE AND ATTRACTIVE THE COMFORTS OF LIFE MAY SEEM, THE ARTIST MUST LOOK BEYOND AND CONCERN HIMSELF NOT ONLY WITH THE TASK OF CREATING ART, BUT HE MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE IMPACT HE HAS ON THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND HIM. HE MUST HAVE VISION AND INSIGHT AND EMPLOY THOSE IN THE SERVICE OF HIS FELLOW MAN. THE WORLD UNFORTUNATELY DOES NOT WELCOME THE ARTIST AND AS HISTORY HAS SHOWN, SELDOM ACKNOWLEDGES AND VALUES ITS ARTISTS AS IT SHOULD, UNTIL A GENERATION OR 2 HAS PASSED. SO THE ARTIST MUST GET USED TO BEING UNCOMFORTABLE AND NOT FITTING IN AND CONTENT HIMSELF WITH HIS LOT AND LEARN TO SEE HIS STRUGGLE AS A GREAT PRIVILEDGE.
AS A MEMBER OF THE BAHA'I FAITH, I RECALL THE WORDS OF ITS FOUNDER
BAHA'U'LLA'H WHO SAID:
" Through the movement of Our Pen of glory We have, at the bidding of the omnipotent Ordainer, breathed a new life into every human frame, and instilled into every word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidences of this world-wide regeneration......"
HE ALSO SAID THAT THIS DAY (OR AGE) IS VERY GREAT AND WILL WITNESS THE COMING OF AGE OF THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE. HE SAID THAT HUMANITY IS MOVING FROM TURBULENT ADOLESCENCE TO MATURITY.
WE JUST NEED TO LOOK AROUND US TO WITNESS THE TRUTH OF THESE WORDS AND SEE HUMANITY STRUGGLING TO SHED ITS OLD WAYS AND LONG HELD TRUTHS. THE ARTIST'S JOB THEN, IN THIS CONTEXT, IS TO FIRST ALLOW THIS NEW LIFE WITHIN HIMSELF TO AWAKEN, AND HIS VISION OF THE WORLD TO BE RENEWED. BY ALLOWING THIS TRANSFORMATION TO OCCUR IN HIMSELF HE IS LAYING NEW TRACK IN AN UNCHARTERED FRONTIER. YES, IT IS PAINFUL AS IS ALL GROWTH, BUT THE PAIN AND DISCOMFORT SOON GIVE WAY TO NEW VISION AND NEW LIFE.
THIS ARTIST OF WHICH WE SPEAK IS WITHIN EACH OF US AND WOULD EMERGE IF WE GET OUT OF THE WAY. BY ALLOWING THIS NEW LIFE TO EMERGE IN OURSELVES WE DO GREAT SERVICE TO HUMANITY. WE ARE ALL TEACHERS AND WE TEACH OUR VISION AND OUTLOOK,WITHOUT TRYING, TO EVERYONE WE ENCOUNTER IN OUR LIVES. THE BIG QUESTION IS WHAT IS IT THAT WE TEACH?
NOW, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 21ST CENTURY, IT MIGHT BE TIMELY TO CHOOSE ONCE AGAIN WHAT OUR CHOICE WILL BE! WILL WE CONCERN OURSELVES SOLELY WITH OUR OWN GAIN AND FOOLISHLY ATTEMPT TO SECURE FOR OURSELVES THE TRANSIENT COMFORTS OF A FLEETING LIFE, OR WILL WE JOYOUSLY AND COURAGEOUSLY RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OF THE ARTIST, TO THE CHALLENGE OF THE BENEFACTOR, AND ASSIST IN THE BIRTHING OF THIS "NEW LIFE" AND THIS NEW WORLD?
I LEAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITH A QUOTATION FROM BAHA'U'LLAH AND INVITE YOU TO SHARE YOUR "PHILOSOPHY" OR THOUGHTS WITH ME.
"O SON OF MAN! Thou art My dominion and My dominion perisheth not, wherefore fearest thou thy perishing? Thou art My light and My light shall never be extinguished, why dost thou dread extinction? Thou art My glory and My glory fadeth not; thou art My robe and My robe shall never be outworn. Abide then in thy love for Me, that thou mayest find Me in the realm of glory." -The Hidden Words Baha'u'lla'h
If you wish to share any thoughts or want info on the BAHA'I FAITH, please contact me at: briansimons@hotmail.com or visit the official Baha'i website at: http://www.bahai.org
-Brian Simons
THE ROLE OF THE ARTIST IN SOCIETY IS THAT OF A BENEFACTOR. HIS JOB IS NOT TO FIT IN AND BE COMFORTABLE AND HAVE A NICE LIFE. HE IS CALLED TO A MUCH NOBLER TASK AND A MUCH HIGHER IDEAL. HE IS CALLED UPON TO IMPACT THE CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION IN A MEANINGFUL AND UPLIFTING FASHION WHICH WILL LEAVE LASTING BENEFIT TO HIS FELLOW MAN. HOWEVER DESIRABLE AND ATTRACTIVE THE COMFORTS OF LIFE MAY SEEM, THE ARTIST MUST LOOK BEYOND AND CONCERN HIMSELF NOT ONLY WITH THE TASK OF CREATING ART, BUT HE MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE IMPACT HE HAS ON THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND HIM. HE MUST HAVE VISION AND INSIGHT AND EMPLOY THOSE IN THE SERVICE OF HIS FELLOW MAN. THE WORLD UNFORTUNATELY DOES NOT WELCOME THE ARTIST AND AS HISTORY HAS SHOWN, SELDOM ACKNOWLEDGES AND VALUES ITS ARTISTS AS IT SHOULD, UNTIL A GENERATION OR 2 HAS PASSED. SO THE ARTIST MUST GET USED TO BEING UNCOMFORTABLE AND NOT FITTING IN AND CONTENT HIMSELF WITH HIS LOT AND LEARN TO SEE HIS STRUGGLE AS A GREAT PRIVILEDGE.
AS A MEMBER OF THE BAHA'I FAITH, I RECALL THE WORDS OF ITS FOUNDER
BAHA'U'LLA'H WHO SAID:
" Through the movement of Our Pen of glory We have, at the bidding of the omnipotent Ordainer, breathed a new life into every human frame, and instilled into every word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidences of this world-wide regeneration......"
HE ALSO SAID THAT THIS DAY (OR AGE) IS VERY GREAT AND WILL WITNESS THE COMING OF AGE OF THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE. HE SAID THAT HUMANITY IS MOVING FROM TURBULENT ADOLESCENCE TO MATURITY.
WE JUST NEED TO LOOK AROUND US TO WITNESS THE TRUTH OF THESE WORDS AND SEE HUMANITY STRUGGLING TO SHED ITS OLD WAYS AND LONG HELD TRUTHS. THE ARTIST'S JOB THEN, IN THIS CONTEXT, IS TO FIRST ALLOW THIS NEW LIFE WITHIN HIMSELF TO AWAKEN, AND HIS VISION OF THE WORLD TO BE RENEWED. BY ALLOWING THIS TRANSFORMATION TO OCCUR IN HIMSELF HE IS LAYING NEW TRACK IN AN UNCHARTERED FRONTIER. YES, IT IS PAINFUL AS IS ALL GROWTH, BUT THE PAIN AND DISCOMFORT SOON GIVE WAY TO NEW VISION AND NEW LIFE.
THIS ARTIST OF WHICH WE SPEAK IS WITHIN EACH OF US AND WOULD EMERGE IF WE GET OUT OF THE WAY. BY ALLOWING THIS NEW LIFE TO EMERGE IN OURSELVES WE DO GREAT SERVICE TO HUMANITY. WE ARE ALL TEACHERS AND WE TEACH OUR VISION AND OUTLOOK,WITHOUT TRYING, TO EVERYONE WE ENCOUNTER IN OUR LIVES. THE BIG QUESTION IS WHAT IS IT THAT WE TEACH?
NOW, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 21ST CENTURY, IT MIGHT BE TIMELY TO CHOOSE ONCE AGAIN WHAT OUR CHOICE WILL BE! WILL WE CONCERN OURSELVES SOLELY WITH OUR OWN GAIN AND FOOLISHLY ATTEMPT TO SECURE FOR OURSELVES THE TRANSIENT COMFORTS OF A FLEETING LIFE, OR WILL WE JOYOUSLY AND COURAGEOUSLY RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OF THE ARTIST, TO THE CHALLENGE OF THE BENEFACTOR, AND ASSIST IN THE BIRTHING OF THIS "NEW LIFE" AND THIS NEW WORLD?
I LEAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITH A QUOTATION FROM BAHA'U'LLAH AND INVITE YOU TO SHARE YOUR "PHILOSOPHY" OR THOUGHTS WITH ME.
"O SON OF MAN! Thou art My dominion and My dominion perisheth not, wherefore fearest thou thy perishing? Thou art My light and My light shall never be extinguished, why dost thou dread extinction? Thou art My glory and My glory fadeth not; thou art My robe and My robe shall never be outworn. Abide then in thy love for Me, that thou mayest find Me in the realm of glory." -The Hidden Words Baha'u'lla'h
If you wish to share any thoughts or want info on the BAHA'I FAITH, please contact me at: briansimons@hotmail.com or visit the official Baha'i website at: http://www.bahai.org
-Brian Simons
BAHA'I SHRINE
www.briansimons.com
Copyright © 2008 by Brian Simons
All rights reserved
All rights reserved
Copyright © 2008 by Brian Simons
All rights reserved
All rights reserved