the soul connection of art
"I fell in love with you [art] and soul, the way a fool would do, madly..."
W hat is the soul connection of art? Perhaps there’s not one definition. And sometimes, it’s hard to even define, but when you feel it, you know it. Often it’s an instant spark. Like love at first sight, it’s immediate and powerful. Other times, a piece of art you’ve seen several times be - fore suddenly speaks to you, maybe because it’s fulfilling something your soul feels it needs at that time. Whatever the reason and in what - ever way it happens, there’s a deep connection. Is it the color? The composition? The subject matter? The message? Sometimes we don’t know. And sometimes it’s the combination of all of those things working in concert. And the interesting thing is that soul connection is often two-sided. Many artists experience a mean - ingful connection with each piece they create. Often they’re exploring something their soul needs, wheth - er it’s to heal, celebrate or decipher messages, thoughts and emotions. Other times, they’re sharing a soul connection they had with a place or experience––trying to create that same connection for the viewer. “There’s a mutual appreciation
and connection there,” said collec - tor Nancy Jackson, who has been coming to the Celebration of Fine Art for 20 years. “An artist created it and put an awful lot of inner thought and soul into it. You love it and connect with it, and I think they appreciate the fact that it res - onated with you.” immediate, but enduring Like love at first sight, the con - nection with art is often immediate and intense. But unlike the fleeting nature of a romantic attraction, the connection with art tends to endure. It embodies something authentic, not just aesthetic appeal. It has all the elements of a long-lasting relationship: a shared human experience, a certain level of trust, openness and vulnerability as you allow yourself to feel what that piece is revealing or communi - cating to you. “Usually, it’s almost instanta - neous where I’ve seen something on a wall at a distance and know right away it’s something I need to go see closer,” said collector Glen Winchell. “But when I connect with a piece of art, it has to be ongoing. It’s not just a one-time thing. It
grows over time. That’s when I can tell that I’ve got something beautiful that I can’t do without.” For some collectors, that connec - tion grows even stronger when they get to know the artist behind the work––when they learn the process or physical or emotional journey that artist went through to create the piece or a body of work. “It’s a visual connection first,” Nancy said. “But when you can get to know someone––get to know why they’re doing what they’re doing and their love for it, it just adds so much to it.” Often, that “why” is driven by the artist’s yearning to fulfill something deep in their soul…a deep soul call - ing. Soul Healing and Expanding Artistic expression has long been used as a soul-healing and expand - ing tool because art helps channel emotions intentionally. Through their work, artists often explore thoughts, emotions and experiences, work through challenges, or find respite or rejuvenation. That exploration may come in the form of subject matter, color use or even a specific medium. For mixed
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Issue 5 | Summer/Fall 2026
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