Bound to stumble and fall
but my strength comes not from man at all.
Matisyahu
Wisdom resides in the soul of nature—of humanity. Most of us learn from an early age that some people are more soulful, what I call ‘touched by G-d,’ and we feel blessed to have them in our lives. But what does it mean for a work of art—a poem, photograph, painting, sculpture—to have soul? Our reference point, of course, is nature. The ‘wisdom of trees’ has almost become a cliché—but for a reason. A tree’s resilience stems from its strong roots and mighty core; its beautiful branches and leaves are the rewards of that labor. A soulful painting or building often feels as though it’s speaking directly to our own souls, because there’s nothing superficial, frivolous—fake—preventing that dialogue.
Being surrounded by soulful, transcendent art + design nourishes our own souls. In an age of social media, Instaporn, and filtered selfies, it’s needed now more than ever.
Karen Lehrman Bloch
“Beauty is God’s handwriting.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone.”
Goethe
“God wants, man dreams, the work is born.”
Fernando Pessoa
“Every recognition of beauty is a form of prayer.”
Rabbi David Wolpe
