We live in a big world, which makes up a big picture. However, this big world, or big picture, is made up of smaller pieces: continents, countries, states, and communities. All of these parts, of course, can be subdivided into many smaller bits. When they are put together they re-form into a big picture.
Our community has a myriad of varied details that make it the unique place we have chosen to live: housing, jobs, schools, parks, churches, family, friends, etc. But there is an even smaller facet that is significant in forming the community of Morrison, IL. This is its arts scene! Yes, we now have an art gallery that houses the works of over 50 local artists. On a Saturday in September, over 6000 people descend to paint squares on the pavement of Main Street, but why? I wondered, “Why is art so vital?”
One could ask Vernon Schaver of Fulton, IL, left, a lifelong creater of art.
I sent out a small request on my Facebook page. “Hey, Morrison grads, I need some words explaining the impact the arts had on you.” In over three hours, I had too many replies to print! Here are several.
Kimberly Deets Olson The arts gave me community, a major in college, a refuge, a career, confidence, and really was a part of many critical decisions that led to the life I’m now living.
Elizabeth Zurn My experiences with the arts have been the bedrock of my life. Art has made me confident, empathetic, and productive. My career in the arts has taken me around the world and given me the skills I needed to become the successful entrepreneur I am today. Art built my life, and it gives my life meaning.
Hilary McDearmon Arts were the laboratory within which I experimented with self-expression and creativity. They gave me the opportunity to succeed but also to fail, thereby teaching me that beauty is often found in the struggle and made all the more gratifying when it is achieved.
Brandon T. Stone It’s no secret that I cannot draw, sing, play an instrument, or act. One would think that the arts would not have had a profound impact on me. That could not be further from the truth. Getting varied exposure of the arts over the years provided me with cultural experiences well beyond what one would think a small rural town could offer. How did this affect me? I have three children that are heavily interested in the arts. The appreciation of the arts [and] the experience I had in Morrison made the foundation of what my children experience today. Believe it or not, a large part of what I do for a living today is apparel design, merchandising, and color selection, all self-taught. The art experience way back when certainly is helping me today in my personal and professional life.
Joslyn Kailey The arts allow us to enjoy life!
Words, sentences, statements, painted squares on a street, and an art gallery all give validation to the vibrant significance of the arts in our community.
Come celebrate art and our local artists found in The Loft on Main during Gala Fundraiser, “Building the Big Picture.” It is on Saturday, October 20, 2018, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., at Morrison Institute of Technology, 701 Portland Avenue, in Morrison. Be a part of building and keeping our vital arts scene.