A Message from Misty, June 3, 2020

In my first Salina Art Center public event in 2017, I shared the following quote by Victor Pinchuk: “Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics.” As we navigate through our nation’s current troubling times of discord and fear, engaging with art – making, talking about, viewing – can allow the human mind to enter a safe space.  Art can even play a part in helping recovery from traumatic experiences.  Doctors now encourage patients to spend time in art galleries and museums as part of treatment plans.  Conversations about art and film stretch our brains and work the muscle of our minds encouraging us to think deeply about our world and the challenges we face.   The diverse background of artists and their subject matter helps us gain empathy and understanding for those with life experiences very different from our own.  Through art, we learn that we can do better; be better. 

I am proud that our galleries are open after a two-month shut down and I encourage you to spend time engaging with the art in the Salina Biennial Exhibition.  The exhibition is full of themes: diversity, sexuality, motherhood, family, place, the environment, love, joy, loss and so much more. I encourage you to come to the Art Center and immerse yourself in art and then talk with others about what you have seen and felt. 

Politics will try to influence how we should think about issues our society faces, but art may be the only thing that truly inspires humanity to think creatively about those issues and encourages us to find ways to come together.  We are all part of the human condition, so let us get to the business of creating exchanges that reveal the life we are experiencing right now.