Whether making or enjoying art, take time for it today

Not many people know about one of my hobbies. I am a closet artist. I have a room in our home where I escape on a cold winter day and paint. Oil and pastel painting are my favorites. Here I can escape the phone, email and barrage of media that we encounter in our lives and sit in silence to create.

There is a great joy in the creative process. “The role of the arts is basic to life,” writes former Kentucky Arts Council Executive Director Gerri Combs. English author Neil Gaiman adds, “Make good art.” He sums it up: “The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before.” 

Kentucky is filled with amazing artists. You can find a small sampling of our state’s art hubs beginning on page 36.

Music, quilting, metal work, pottery and painting can be found from Paintsville to Paducah. I hope this year you will spend some time enjoying the amazing works of art by our Kentucky artists.

And, take time to create art—whether with a paintbrush, microphone, carving tool, knitting needle, or writing a poem or book—whatever your passion may be.