Making Good

An artist thinks of life, his or hers, or the world, or nature, or something much larger than the self. It has dimension, texture, and value. How to define all of these? In relation to the original thought that spurred the pondering?

The creative urge is forming. The artist selects the medium and resources to express the thinking, the core of the thought. An image in paint or charcoal or pen and ink take shape. A three dimensional shape emerges from unsculpted materials. A figure? A radical shape that creates a sense of motion or final thrust? Toward what? To what end?

The same with a potter creating shape, function and emotion from clay and elements of chemicals that bring color to the palette. A painter. A writer. A poet. A musician who plays the music or composes it. The singer, instrumentalist. Whatever. Whoever.

Something is made from ‘nothing’ to you and I, but to the artist the nothing is something to be worked with and created from. They are making something, bringing it into being. Something that will enrich our lives in some fashion. Will it be beautiful and ennoble our existence? Will it inspire us to act in a way that will benefit others, fix problems, build something beautiful for us to live with, in or through?

Making good has so many meanings. A young person who struggles day by day for many years to complete her education so she may pursue interests that will support her livelihood and accomplishments that will expand lives of others. That is making good. The architect who designs a building or residence to meet the needs of the residents or users of the space makes good, too. Some buildings are pure function; others are imaginative and motivational; we do less good in drab surroundings and soaring achievements in spaces that inspire thinking and doing.

Government is a tool to do good. Like libraries, schools, power grids, highway systems and so much more, we live in an environment both made by nature and mankind. Not all is perfect. Not all functions well. We labor to improve what is imperfect and soon learn all is imperfect.

Doing something about what needs improvement is making good, too. At the base of this work, however, some decisions need to be made. Is the project addressing what is important? Do we know what we want at the end of our struggle? Have we defined the outcome we desire? Is this a universal desire or value? Or are we creating something in direct opposition to what others deem better?

Making good requires community engagement in most situations. The artist can act alone. His is a statement about life’s condition. That statement helps us understand the scale of the condition; perhaps it needs our involvement to improve on it. The art informs us of a reality, a problem, a beauty, a thought or value that must not be lost. What we do with that realization is up to each of us.

Making good needs others who desire to make good. Sharing the context of life is a step that must be made if we are to move toward purpose and valued outcome.

Making good needs me, you and we. Together we can do so much.

Much needs doing.

When?

June 17, 2021