Op-Ed Article by Jenna Waggoner, Caledonia High School
Imagine living in a timeline where the concept of artistry never came into being. The days would come and go like clockwork, a deadened tick tock replacing the emotive beat of a heart.
The constraints of robotic perfectionism would construct a lifeless world of uninspired surroundings, devoid of unique masterpieces. Daily backdrops would lack the vibrant colors, and the ebbs and flows of possibilities, seen through hopeful and inquisitive lenses.
The mind’s eye would no longer exhibit the iconic image of DaVinci’s Mona Lisa, nor would the tune of Beethoven’s “Für Elise” strike a chord for centuries. The words of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet would fall flat, if they were ever inscribed in the first place.
Pathways of creativity and ingenuity have tempted the larger scope of humanity since its earliest ancestors, as ancient European cave paintings have evolved into today’s modern and contemporary art. Forms of artwork, whether canvas, melody or page, have sculpted the universal nature of humankind to encapsulate expression and originality.
Now more than ever, creativity is a force of change that demands our awareness of its intrinsic significance. Artistry has and will continue to shape our world. This begins with its need to be integrated as a radically necessary aspect of individual growth, education and social reform.
