Years ago a good friend of mine went through a seismic loss. It was the sort of situation in which it would be understandable if her art grew dark and depressing for a while. But not Lisa. From a place of pain she pursued hope. Her art grew more beautiful, not less.
During that season she chose to focus on flowers. But her large scale, bold, and impressionistic paintings were far from sentimental. “You’re not just painting flowers,” I told her one day. “You’re painting Warriors in the Sun.” The paintings reminded me of Lisa herself. Flowers, if you think about it, are incredibly brave. They sprout up from the earth, transform sunlight into energy, and burst out with color and fragrance. They ask for so little in return, but they make the world beautiful. They make war on the ugliness all around and triumph in unique splendor.
Artwork © Lisa Rainey. Used with Permission.
This is, to my mind, is one of the tasks of the artist. A lot of art from the past century makes a different case. Shock-value, ugly art makes a mockery of the viewer. Or, art is used as a vehicle to process pain, but without offering a resolution. I think artists like Lisa offer a better path.
We don't deny life's hard moments. But even from a place of pain, artists can point society toward wholeness. We all know the beauty of nature is healing. I believe the beauty of art—when created with excellence and truthfulness and love—is also healing.
Learn more about Fine Artist Lisa Rainey and preview her work, including Landscapes, Florals, Portraits and Events at raineyfineart.com
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