Art is an Expression of the Human Spirit

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America "is a child of the 18th century Age of Reason, also termed the Enlightenment. . . .. Americans, who are descendants of the Romantic Age. . . . The great writers, actors, dancers, painters, sculptors, and musicians through the medium of their art all still strive to create a psychic event in the mind of the perceiver. Those who love the various disciplines of the humanities see this as a higher reality. . . .Essential to experiencing art is the body's ability to feel and respond emotionally. . . ." (R.J. Rockwood, 2012)

So how does one accomplish this in their writing? An artist can portray a multitude of emotions by way of colors, facial expressions, and subject matter. A musician develops emotion through the symmetry of chord progression and melody. The sculpture, an artist, functions in much the same way as a painter. But the writer must construct visual imagery and deeply emotional bonds for their reader to grasp the writer's intended meaning.  An example follows:

Claire soon realized her desire for a particular future was but a silly dream. Some dreams aren't meant to be. Her dream was formed with the naiveté of a young girl whose elaborate fantasies mirrored the romantic ideals of a life imagined.

Play with words.

Each morning Claire walked the path she created through routine, walking a little further each time until she reached the other side of the wood. It was here in this vast expanse of nothingness - just green hills and valleys for as far as her eyes could see - that she tried recalling the stories her father told to her; a tapestry of myths and mysteries.

Tips:

Visit a museum and carry a journal with you. Wandering through a museum will fill you with rich images and inspiration.

Give someone a voice - Choose someone or something in a painting or a sculpture.

Riff on a piece of work of art - What does a particular piece make you think about, feel? Where do your thoughts wander?