Create or Disintegrate

“Create or Disintegrate” is one of the laws of life. It applies to everyone for different reasons. Here, I’m relating to artists. The urge to produce a new work is always with us. Eric Walker, a good friend and artist, once produced a body of work for the sole purpose of giving it away. “Art for the People” he called it. Some artists complain and make excuses they are uninspired and “what’s the use of making new works if there is no market or venue.” “Why waste the time and materials?”

Apparently there are creators out there who do not have this thinking. They make art and put it out there, literally, “out on the street.” This also applies to the true street artists of graffiti.

I’ve found ceramic fish, squirrels, oil paintings, clay figures, heard live piano music in the forest, all in Point Pleasant Park. Other pieces I’ve encountered on the streets of Halifax.

There is an artist in Halifax who has art hanging on poles along some streets. There are small pieces of art on hooks with a sign and a coffee tin for donations.

To me, the art pieces, the bucket, the hand made sign, all hanging there together, is the work of art. It changes that bare pole into something worth seeing and giving thought to as we pass by. If you like it, you take a piece, if you want to contribute there is a bucket hanging for donations.

Some argue it’s not art. Well, at least, it’s some ones effort creating something and getting it out there.

Whoever all these artists are they are not disintegrating, they’re expanding. I applaud them.

Their pieces are not signed. They have been put out there to be enjoyed. This is “art for the people” just out there, for the sheer joy of being discovered by passers by. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for the pieces, they have quickly disappeared.

I love discovering these treasures and always wonder who makes them and places them here. The only motive I can reason is that the artist had the urge to create something and give it away. In this act of passing it forward, they have taken one more step to further their craft. In doing so, have halted the disintegration process.