I have been blessed with the creative ability to conceive ideas along with the technical ability and volition to give form to those ideas. All that I am I owe to the endless blessings the Holy One has showered upon me.

In 1978 I became enamored with a particular composer and especially with a certain musical piece he composed. The Lark Ascending musical composition featuring a beautifully lyrical violin solo throughout by Ralph Vaughan Williams captivated me from the first. It was composed in 1914 and revised in 1920. The Lark Ascending is described as a pastoral piece depicting prewar England. However, taking into account the spiritual depth of his symphonic music, I personally perceive The Lark Ascending to evoke a deeper longing for the discovery of ones own inner being.

The Lark Ascending music was inspired by George Meredith's 122 line poem. The poem that I wrote by the same title was inspired by this sublime violin composition by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Through The Lark Ascending poem, which can be found at www.curtisgraphics.com/thelarkascending.html it is my intention to reveal the interconnectedness between the arts; music, poetry and visual art, by incorporating visual images along with this poem. The imagery and the poem are best appreciated when viewed and read while listening to the music. Ballet is implied by the final line in the poem.

From a deeper, spiritual perspective, it has been written that God is love. Love is the most important of the Four Absolutes expounded upon by the Oxford Group. The idea regarding love is to ask ones self a simple question: Is it ugly? or is it beautiful? If it is ugly, it isn't love. If it is beautiful, it is love. There are no gray areas between these two poles. There is a chasm between them in which there is an almost infinite range of grays, but absolute beauty is absolute love. The Holy One is absolute love and is therefore absolute beauty.

In my own fumbling way of doing things, as an artist, I have been seeking beauty all of my life; through my music, my writings, my paintings, my prints and my architectural stained glass design. In the series of articles I intend on writing to be published in SelfGrowth, I will be addressing the concept of beauty on a variety of levels, from the spiritual to the physical in artistic expression.

I have already submitted an article on the first Beatitude: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." My next article will be on the second Beatitude: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

On finishing this series on the Beatitudes, depending upon the direction in which I am lead, I may divert my attention to physical aesthetics. Following is an excerpt from something I have already written on the subject:

My purpose is simply to share with those who are interested, my own personal views on the subject of art and design. While I am acutely aware that my opinions are not, by any means universal, I have had some modicum of hands-on experience with the subject.

It is my primary intention to shed some light on the complexities of artistic composition. Art doesn't just happen. The creation of a painting, sculpture, work in stained glass or print can be excruciatingly painful on mental, emotional and spiritual levels.

I remember some years ago having a frustrating conversation with a sales-person working at a stained glass studio about color. It was this persons fallacious contention that artists were simply born with an ability to put colors together in an harmonious manner. I suggested that it was important for the novice to study the science of color. The response was an indignant refutation of my claim.

M. E. Chevreul was a leading chemist during the 1800's in France and was the greatest living authority on animal fats. His chemical investigations also included research in coloring materials. At the age of 38 in 1824 he was named by King Louis XVIII, Director of Dyes for the Royal Manufactures at the Gobelins in France. In 1839 his first French Edition of "The Principles of Harmony and Contrast of Colors and Their Applications to the Arts" was published. This "scientific" study of color was studied by Claude Monet and most of the French Impressionists and Post Impressionists. It is safe to assume that the magnificent color palettes of these artists would not have been achieved without Chevreul's publication on color theory. More to come...

SelfGrowth Articles by Curt Doll:

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Doll1.html

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Doll2.html

http://www.selfgrowth.com/artman2/publish/spiritual_articles/Blessed_are...

eMail Addresses: artist_designer@curtisgraphics.com - in.quiries@curtisgraphicscorp.com

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