Aesthetic Moment: Grapes

The miraculous is not extraordinary but the common mode of existence. It is our daily bread. Whoever really has considered the lilies of the field or the birds of the air and pondered the improbability of their existence in this warm world within the cold and empty stellar distances will hardly balk at the turning of water into wine — which was, after all, a very small miracle. We forget the greater and still continuing miracle by which water (with soil and sunlight) is turned into grapes. - Wendell Berry

I believe the act of creating is a miracle. Artisans take their ideas and musings – their soil and sunlight – from their heart and soul – their daily bread - and create something unique, something different. And yes, it is a miracle.  

Creation by Christine Alfery (2011)

The act of creating is the miracle of all things.  As artists, we are so fortunate to be able to do that.  History shows us that not all artisans had such freedom – the women of history, the oppressed of history – yet they still created. 

Perhaps they did not create on beautiful, new, clean, hand-made paper, but rather on recycled canvas or brown paper scraps like Miro did, like Chagall did, like Van Gogh did – but still they created.  They kept the act of creating alive and visible.  

New Life by Christine Alfery

Sometimes we forget that soil and sunlight create grapes – sometimes we need to take a moment and reflect on that.  To be creative is a blessing. To create is a miracle.