Savoring the Details (for Iron County Today)

 Savoring the Details

By Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President 

     It is hard to see every detail. That ability to hear the nuance of pitch or see the exact details for painting a scene is valued in making art. Choosing the exact word for a poem or the precise dance movement moves art from the mundane to the exquisite.  

     "People rarely look closely," said Arthur Brooks. "They glance -- and let their brains fill in the rest."  His mother was a professional artist and she taught him to "Look again. Really look." This skill improved his art as he focused on the details, but also his later work as a behavioral scientist.

     Savoring "means holding a moment long enough for it to leave a mark," said Brooks. I have thought of that word as enjoying food, as in savoring a garden fresh tomato or strawberry.  The idea of savoring the details for artistic pursuit or for other aspects of life seems useful to me. 

      It also fights the attention robbing tendencies of social media. One of the reasons that learning music is valuable is it helps with the discipline of noticing details. All of the arts help develop focus. This focus, this savoring, is incredibly useful for many aspects of life.

     One of my violin students was autistic and her mother said that the best room for teaching her would be empty with blank walls. She was constantly distracted by a painting, a plant, or a car going up the street. The challenge was the focus. Really honing in on details and filtering out the extraneous is tricky. She was successful in learning to play the violin with the dedicated patience of her mother. We broke each task down and then put the pieces together. When she performed a Vivaldi concerto from memory at a String Festival it was a real triumph.

     Another example is the band being onstage for the rock musical "Tommy" at the Heritage Center in the American Crossroads Theater production. The musicians are on platforms so fear of heights can't be an issue. The actors are singing and dancing near the musicians, so distraction is real. It takes incredible focus on every note and listening for the other band members to make this work. It was an impressive evening of music and spectacle. Because of the plot's trauma of the young Tommy, it is a PG-13 musical in my opinion.

     The sets for the "Importance of Being Earnest" at the Utah Shakespeare Festival are another example of detail beautifully executed.  We feel that we are stepping into quintessential English scenes. 

     There are several new visual arts on exhibit throughout Cedar City. The artists at the local galleries and city exhibits are producing a feast worth celebrating. The lovely Starmaker bronze statue at SUU has been cleaned up. Maintenance is a huge part of allowing us to savor public art.

     We are fortunate to live in a beautiful area and the wildflowers are at their height. It takes effort to go for a walk in the mountains to savor the natural world showing off. 

     What are you taking time to savor? What details are you taking time to really see?