Art in the Time of Emotional Turmoil

Some days I awake feeling as though the world around me may in fact implode. The seemingly endless stories of hatred, constant fear, and tragic loss become too much for a sensitive soul such as myself.  These days particularly, take every ounce of willpower to not dive back under my pillow and sleep away the nightmarish reality we've come to inhabit. In these disastrous times, I turn to the one thing I know I can count on: my handwork. In a letter sent out to its artists, two of our local market directors describe it best:

[We know there's a crazy amount of turmoil happening in our country right now. You may be feeling angry, hurt, confused, exhausted, numb, or perfectly okay. No matter what your stance is, we sincerely hope there is this one thing we can all agree on: Art matters. Your creative expression matters. Your business' contribution to the community matters. The world needs art, your art, now more than ever. You may think that, as one person, there is only so much impact you can make -- But we urge you to remember that all forms of creativity have the bold potential to inspire and to uplift. And when a collective community of individual, empowered, creative voices sing out, the world as a whole grows more beautiful because of it.]                                                                                                                

-Ana Manzano and Mindy Jovanovic

And so we trudge on, keeping a bright star burning deep inside somewhere amidst all of the emotional trauma. I urge you to remain diligent in YOUR work,  whatever it may be,  and find a bit of time to stoke that little creative flame before it sputters out. Right now, the world needs your contribution, your art.

Written by Meghan Wright, Originally published, 08.1.2017
Additional quotes written by Ana Manzano and Mindy Jovanovic, River City Marketplace Directors