The powers-that-be seem to be interested in business,
money, and turning our area into a Cities suburb. Most of their ideas
of "community development" are ways to bring more money into
the area, in the belief that this will raise our "quality of life",
or just make a lot of money. There is almost nothing in anyone's plans
to help Arts, Music, Crafts, or anything else along those lines. But
those are the REAL "qualities of life." Think of Grand Marais.
What comes to mind? An Art Colony! Anything really lasting in a culture
is Art. Art is food for the soul, and a community needs this, probably
more than the income. These are the things that attract outside interest.
These are the qualities that last. I would like to see the focus away
from money and business and more to art in it's various forms -architecture,
paintings, music, pottery, books, woodworking, photography, etc.
I moved up to this area to escape the City, not to
bring it with me. I am offended by this organized drive to be a suburb.
I am much more interested in a quiet quality of life, not floods of
money. A lot of people move up here for the same reason.
The Arrowhead Art Club and Nemadji Arts Guild are
just a couple of local organizations trying to accomplish this, and
we should support them. Artists, band together to support one another
(God knows we need it). Be supportive of one another. Let's help each
other out.
But I'll let you in on a little secret. Art is really
a state of mind. We are all artists. Henry David Thoreau said, "To
affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." Quality
is the key word. If you do everything at your job or home with the idea
that you will do it the best you can, you are striving for quality.
Dave Landwehr (local woodworker) told me once he did not consider himself
an artist. But I know of no-one who works more carefully or lovingly
at his creations. Frankly, I consider him to be one of the area's better
artists, because his soul is in his wood. It can be like that for you,
too.
Being focused on making money is not a healthy direction
for us to be taking. All you have to do is listen to what people are
complaining about in our society (materialism, lack of respect for each
other,, violence, crime, high taxes). For the most part, these problems
are caused by a preoccupation with making money, with promoting "ME"
at the expense of your neighbors. It's by not making "I" the
most important thing in your life, but by producing quality in everything
you do and supporting the people around you (community) that we can
really improve our "quality of life."