We’re in the
final stretch. Less than two months until the big move to Ohio University, and
for some of my friends, a month until they move off to colleges as far as
Georgia and Alabama.
We are
all moving apart. All going our separate ways. And in the last moments we have
together one phrase seems to dominate the conversation: “Let’s craft.”
As
“Pinterest-ing” has become more popular throughout the past year, it’s in style
to Do-it-Yourself dorm decorate. We sit down at a table covered in plastic, as
our mom’s are not too confident in our abilities to keep paint off the table.
We pour out our supplies ranging from blank canvases, mason jars, fabrics, Mod
Podge and paints of all colors. Country music on the radio, we begin. We make
calendars, custom corkboards, pencil holders, and cute decals to hang on our
plain white dorm walls.
We
may not be the most creative. We may need two tries to get it right. But it’s
these moments where we make art, art that will hang in our dorms, where we know
we will never forget one another.
When I’m sitting in my room at OU, I’ll look at my crafts and see each
one of my friends. While technology can bridge the gap in these 21st
century relationships, making art has showed me that coming together, and
creating something new, something beautiful can keep bonds tighter than Elmer’s
glue. The final stretch can seem scary. But it’s these moments that make it
easier. Building a community based on art can make this world we live in, the
town we live in, just a bit smaller. And one of those ways can be simply
logging on to masonarts.org, and getting involved in things coming up. Summer
camps. The FallFair Arts Festival. Just being inspired.
My
world’s about to change. Maybe yours has. But putting art into the picture
can bring a little bit of clarity.
