Art As Service

Art as Service: Creating with Purpose and Connection

In a world that often views art as a commodity, I’ve struggled to come around to the idea that art can be an act of service. I come from a time, place, and family where being in service to others was important; everyone should be giving of their time, talent, and/or treasure in whatever measure they could in order to be a “good person”. The family I grew up in didn’t have much extra money (there are 7 of us sisters) but we did know how to make music, so being part of the regular music ministry for our local Roman Catholic parish was one of the ways we provided service to others. My mom was a nurse. Clearly, service. I volunteered at my kids’ school. Service. When I was working full time, I gave to the United Way through payroll deduction. Service. But making art, well, making art, I believed, was a selfish act, a luxury and indulgence. The time spent making art served only the artist themself. (Look, I still struggle with that singular/plural pronoun thing, but we are going with it, ok?) But, the reality is that artists create not only to express themselves but to offer something meaningful to others—beauty, reflection, healing, connection, and even social change.

Art as a Gift to the Community

Art has the power to build and strengthen communities. Public murals, community theater, my gosh, even prettying-up utility boxes on street corners can serve as bridges between individuals in a community. When artists engage with their neighbors they offer a service that extends beyond aesthetics, even when they remain anonymous.

Art as Healing

For many of us, creating art is deeply therapeutic. No matter what the discipline, artistic expression allows us to process emotions, reclaim narratives, and heal from trauma. I’m no art therapist, but I know that using creativity as a tool can help people navigate grief, mental illness, and just the day-to-day personal stuff we all struggle with. So, used in this way, art becomes more than self-expression or indulgence; it transforms into a service of healing.

Art as Advocacy

Art has long been a catalyst for social and political change. From protest posters to spoken word performances, artists use their craft to amplify marginalized voices, challenge injustice, and inspire action. A single image, poem, or song can shift perspectives and ignite movements. That’s a public service. Just look to poet Amanda Gorman, who read her poem, “The Hill We Climb” at President Joe Biden’s inauguration or to Kendrick Lamar’s performance at halftime in this year’s Superbowl. Powerful stuff, that.

Art as Teaching and Mentorship

I’ve begun teaching workshops again after several years away. Moving to a new state a few years ago, where I didn’t know a soul, and then having the isolating experience of the Covid years made it tough to find my tribe and get myself in a room with a group of creatives. Now that I have the opportunity again, I’m remembering how, when I share my skills and perspectives through teaching, I extend service beyond my own creative space and practice. Teaching art empowers others to find their own creative voices. Sharing what I do and how I do it, and then seeing and hearing how it changes someone’s creative practice, perspectives on art and creativity, or even their life (!) absolutely Fills. Me. Up!

I can make a positive impact on someone’s life, and if that ain’t service, I don’t know what is.

Recognizing My Art as Service

For the last five years, I’ve been painting in series. As I look back at my work through a lens of service, I can see that my “Martyrs & Legends” series was service. It served me by helping me work through my feelings about the hypocrisy and patriarchy of the Catholic church, and it served others who were moved by images of their favorites saints or people they love.

My next series, “Loving Kindness”, was a way for me to offer benevolence and love to someone very important to me who is caught up in an existence of addiction and mental illness when there was no other way for me to help her. It helped to heal me and, again, the paintings spoke to others who experienced them and now own them.

The “Whispers of our Mothers” series I am working on now is helping me to share my thoughts and feelings about how the women who raise and shape us disappear once they are gone from this world, where history is written for and about men. That other women are collaborating with me by sharing the stories of their mothers and grandmothers, for me to imagine paintings from, is an honor and rare opportunity.

Art as Everyday Offering

None of this needs to be done on a grand scale. Sometimes, it’s the small acts of creativity that make a difference. I have a friend who makes handmade cards for every occasion. When I see her return address on an envelope near my birthday, I smile before I even open it. I sent a handmade valentine once to an artist I had only met once in person, because I remembered her husband had recently passed and thought she might be feeling low that day. She has told me that she cherishes that little act of art and kindness. Do you call and sing Happy Birthday to a friend? I have a friend who did that for me once. We laughed through the whole thing, but that was art in action right there, an act of human connection and generosity.

The Call to Create with Purpose

I think we artists have an unique opportunity in our current United States turmoil and trauma—and perhaps a responsibility—to consider how our work serves others. Who will be impacted by the work we create? What emotions will it evoke? What conversations will it spark? Whether our art provides solace, provokes thought, or simply brings joy, it carries the potential to touch lives in ways you may never fully see. How is art acting as service in your life? Leave a comment; let’s talk about it!

In the end, art is not just about what we make, but about how we share it. I’m sorry it took me so long to come around to believing it, but art is a powerful, necessary form of service, and one I can readily engage in.