The hardworking folks at Riverlink hope to do another show next year, and I’m grateful.

A motivated crowd is a good thing for artists and art lovers alike, but not for the reasons you’re thinking.

Here’s how:  because people came willing to pitch in for a charity they believe in, they showed up generous.  That’s a good attitude to have when looking at art.

People respond to beauty in much the same way as they respond to goodness.  They might be hungry–even starving–for it, but they can’t just sit passively and soak it in.  Both ideal things require one to go out of oneself, to take a moral or sensory leap as the case may be.

I’m grateful for two more reasons.  First, the folks at Riverlink have been leading the cleanup efforts along the river where I learned to draw the landscape.  The first landscape I ever sold was a view of Ledges Park.  Second, I got an education in North Carolina history and culture from those who attended.  Turn up next year, and enjoy the party as well as the show.