While accentuating only the positive events upon our lives can be an exercised denial of the tragic realities that we are forced to endure, there should always remain an underlying gratitude for the indelible contributions of persons, which leave a lasting mark upon our hearts – by one delivery system: art. Sometimes the joyous ones are best received. And, the joys and pleasures derived from them can give strength, hope, and optimism to the darkest corners. Evil sadly looks us in the face too, and requires our courage and our analysis. And so it too, must emerge in our art.

We know that art is a messenger of every pain, evil, goodness, pleasure and more. It is the fair and learned way/method to impact people in our world; has existed always and emerged from every corner of the Earth.

There are many social ills emerging in behavior, that do not qualify as art, no matter how much deception there is.

Artistically, art contributes to common security and societal cohesion.

While many question the artistic relevance of today’s most pervasive forms of expression in the USA, for commercial gain, artists are trying to break through to audiences (for profit and not) each day that they create with necessity.

The realities of our monetary system in large part dictate the release, commissioning, or blockage of certain artistic content from ever seeing the light of day. But, some art requires no permission to be given for creation; lest it be denied large audience. Centuries ago, the kings decided what was art and what was to be suppressed. The kings of old would decide when and with whom sexual consent was given to. Or who was to live and die. Is it any different today? Is Wall Street the “king”? Are competing corporations all race horses? What forces determine what artistic content emerges to be seen?

Every year, an artist of our history dies. And, a nice pictorial compiled in memory of many of them, can be found at www.imdb.com . While their careers have been profit driven, their art and their unique nature has been shared with us amidst the exploit.

The memorials present a nice yearly commemorative glimpse into the people we encountered (and even admired in many of our memories), in works of domestic artistic and theatrical media. And, each of them was known personally in special relationships and friendships.

This post is my commentary and my personal thanks to those people who impressed upon me through the main-stream US arts since my childhood (and more have entered). Many of them having escaped persecution and/or war. This post is also a suggestion that you visit imdb.com for an annual slide-show of the people we momentarily lose in the physical life; who we shared time together with here on Earth.

Death is temporary my friends. Hold the memories dear in your hearts. We know not how short or long our own life may be. But, we are here for many reasons; some of which are perhaps most notably: to impress ideas upon each other, to carry each other through difficult crises, to collaborate with one another, to inspire, to teach, to fight alongside with, and to enjoy one others’ unique talent and personality. Sometimes we are even called to admonish, ridicule, confine, moralize to, or worse. But, never without mercy, hope for redemption and reform, and love for those who just don’t quite get it.