Gratitude is always on my mind, and what better month to explore it than November? Sometimes cliches are a good thing.
Today, I'm grateful for artists who use their gifts to do good.
At the Governor's School, every student takes Humanities classes that focus on three questions: Who are we as artists? Why do we do what we do? Why do the arts have value for society?
I've been asking myself those things for about 10 years. John and I have also had countless conversations about the value of art as we decided whether or not we could justify pursuing careers in performance. There are many arguments for the value of dedicating your life to that, but after various bad experiences and a couple of corrupt organizations, the two of us had plenty of doubts.
Returning to a little haven for artists (Governor's School) that is largely untouched by career-driven, competitive mania has been refreshing. It's rejuvenating to be around a lot of talented young people who want to use their art to initiate positive change, and it reminds me why I loved music in the first place.
Many artists have been using their powers for good in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. One great example is 20x200, who has raised lots of money this week with sales of two different prints being allocated to relief efforts. My favorite is "We Are So Good Together." I'm partial, though, because I sent it to John once shortly after we started dating. :)
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