Art and Artist

Written by: Liz Cerven

Dear Reader,

I want to share something with you, something that has been sitting in my heart: You are art. The lives we create, the way we move through the world, the marks we leave behind—they are all strokes on the canvas of existence. And yet, how easy it is to lose sight of this truth. We get caught up in the endless push of productivity, the pull of survival, and we forget to pause and appreciate the artwork we are creating simply by living.

Perhaps you’ve had those fleeting moments of recognition—a glance upward at a painted sky, the sound of a melody drifting through the streets, or the vibrant colors of a mural on a city wall. These are glimpses of the art that surrounds us. But I want to ask you: Do you see it in yourself? Do you notice the way you decorate your body, the way you craft your space, the choices you make every day that turn the ordinary into something extraordinary?

You may be accustomed to finding art outside yourself. Maybe you walk through museums or galleries to marvel at what others have created. Maybe you pass gardens carefully tended or hear the soul of a performer pouring into the streets. You might even find it in the pages of a book, where words paint vivid pictures in your mind. But have you ever stopped to notice the art within you—the art you create in your life, simply by being?

The way you adorn yourself is an act of creation. The clothing you choose, the patterns and colors you wear, the small details—like the ringlet left loose from a bun, the bold socks beneath your scrubs, or the bright laces of your boots—are all expressions of art. You don’t need luxury or grandeur to be a walking masterpiece. It’s in the subtleties, the quiet details that speak to your soul. Perhaps it’s the way you apply a touch of mascara, dot freckles on your cheeks, or experiment with makeup as both armor and expression. Like murals on a wall, these small gestures are personal and profound.

Communal spaces of creation fill me with joy. The salons, tattoo parlors, and studios where artists come together to collaborate, share, and create are vibrant hubs of life. There is something beautiful about the hum of conversation mingling with the buzz of machines, the laughter, and the music of tools at work. These are spaces of trust and vulnerability—artists transforming hair, nails, skin, and more into living, breathing art. Whether it’s a hairstyle braided with care, nails painted with intricate designs, or tattoos etched into skin, these acts connect us to others and to ourselves. To sit in these spaces is to witness art in motion, collaboration in progress, and a community of creators shaping beauty from the ordinary.

Even in death, art remains. In some cultures, the deceased are adorned, painted, and dressed, honoring them as art one last time. It reminds me that art is not just what we create; it is what we are. The human body, our rituals, our expressions—they are all woven into the great tapestry of creation.

So, dear reader, I leave you with this question: How do you show up as a creative being in your world? Whether it’s through the way you dress, the spaces you shape, or the marks you leave behind, you are an artist. Your life is your canvas, your body a masterpiece, your choices a symphony of color and form.

Remember, you are art. Your home is art. Your world is art.

Yours in creativity and wonder