Art Lovin' - the nerd way

I've been watching a lot of Doctor Who lately, which has been a huge exercise in creativity for me (who wouldn't love creating in a world where you aren't bound by space or time?!?).

For those of you who may not know, Doctor Who is a BBC tv show that is the longest running sci-fi show in history, and is all about a funny, mad doctor who time travels in a blue police box called the Tardis, solving mysteries and fighting baddies throught the universe.

Why is this relevant to Art to Save the World? This is why- this is a quote of one of my favorite episodes, in which the Doctor goes back in time to meet Vincent Van Gogh.

I won't go into the whole story, but what you need to know is that the Doctor takes Van Gogh forward in time, to see his artwork in the Musée d'Orsay, and hears a curator talking about his work:

Curator: Well... um... big question, but, to me Van Gogh is the finest painter of them all. Certainly the most popular, great painter of all time. The most beloved, his command of colour most magnificent. He transformed the pain of his tormented life into ecstatic beauty. Pain is easy to portray, but to use your passion and pain to portray the ecstasy and joy and magnificence of our world, no one had ever done it before. Perhaps no one ever will again. To my mind, that strange, wild man who roamed the fields of Provence was not only the world's greatest artist, but also one of the greatest men who ever lived. View the Video

Imagine being an artist, seemingly failing at your work, with the only appreciation coming from... yourself.  Maybe you feel like this now.  But then, imagine meeting someone who truly appreciates your work, values your contribution to the world at large, and can't wait to tell everyone about the genius that you have unleashed upon the world.  That would be pretty awesome, right?

This reminded me of all the reasons I started Art to Save the World.  i walk around this city seeing artist after artist, consistently putting out fantastic work, and I can't wait to share it with the people around me.  In the first year of ASW, I've met some fan-freaking-tastic people, and I've been amazed at the creativity that I've seen. 

Artists, remember - somewhere out there, there's at least one person who will love and appreciate your work - probably lots more than just the one!  You just have to find your audience.


I've seen people discover new artwork, and start following certain artists because of the work we've done with Art to Save the World, and it's definitely one of the most rewarding things I've ever experienced. I get so excited helping people to value local art and seeing artists get their work out there!

I am a firm believer that art CAN change the world - it can change perspectives, bring people together, and convey ideas to people regardless of language and culture.  How powerful is that?! 

Stay tuned for more frequent blogging about the artists you should know and love in Philadelphia!