Why Art Matters

A Conversation with Artist Kevin Convery

Unification Thought defines art as “the emotional activity of creating and appreciating beauty.” If, as UT speculates, our hearts are made up of three components—intellect, emotion, and will—then the desire for beauty and art, which corresponds to emotion, is something not only desirable, but necessary. Why Art Matters is a series of interviews exploring how the Divine Principle and Unification Thought influences and is displayed in the work of Unificationist artists.

Collective Consciousness

Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of art is that while each artist has their own unique calling or view of the world, when that vision is expressed on canvas or the page, we are able to access it, and it becomes part of a broader consciousness.

We interviewed Kevin Convery, a painter, writer and public school teacher in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who found his calling to art early in life. Through studying painting and honing his craft over the past few decades, Kevin has explored this idea of the collective consciousness. His book, The Golden Thread: Reflections on Myth and Memory, which features 30 photos of his original paintings, revolves around the idea of mythology as a collective legacy, something that is rooted deep in our culture and in our own psyche.

Language of the Soul

KC: “I was interested in art very young, but when it was time to go to college, I thought I should major in something more practical and do art as a minor. My family, however, encouraged me to major in art, so I studied painting. After college, I was reading a lot of Carl Jung and Herman Hesse. They both talked about this idea of the collective unconscious. I was fascinated by this, and it started to develop as a theme in my work. Mythology and folklore, the stories and fairy tales that I grew up on, and that all cultures have, are part of this collective cultural experience. The myths become part of the language of the soul.”

Spiritual Guidance

“I come from a Celtic background, and when I was working on the Celtic myths, I felt very close to my ancestors. I had heard these stories in my childhood, but this was when I really connected to them. It was almost like they were whispering in my ear.

The myth of Deirdre and Naoise is a very well known myth in Ireland. It’s similar to the Tristan and Isolde story. Deirdre was a young virgin promised to a much older King Connor, who locks her away in seclusion until she is able to be married. Naoise is one of the King’s soldiers who falls in love with her and eventually he and Deirdre escape to Scotland. When Deirdre and Naoise return to Ireland after many years, the King sends an army to kill Naoise and capture Deirdre. Deirdre is taken prisoner and given to one of Connor’s friends, but instead of submitting to her fate, she throws herself from a carriage and bashes her head against a rock.

I had incorporated the irises in this painting, and then later found out that the iris is a symbol for sorrow, sometimes called the “sword lily.” This kind of detail seemed to come out of some spiritual synchronicity, more than just coincidence. I always seemed to find just the right article, book, or image.

I remember too, when I traveled to Ireland, I thought of it almost like a pilgrimage. So many of my Irish ancestors that left Ireland were never able to return, so it felt like they were making the journey with me. The story of Deirdre says a lot about the Irish people. They were a people who had been so oppressed, stepped on, and trodden down, always a new ruler, always under someone elses thumb. The character of Deidre is so loved because rather than submit to a life of oppression, she chose to destroy herself. It wasn’t a suicide in the way we would normally think of it, but like keeping intact her sacred beauty. That sacred beauty was so cherished. I had this very clear experience of my ancestors saying to me, ‘This is why we love Deidre. This is why you are an artist, because of us. This is our experience, but you found a way to express it.’”

Inspiration Without Implementation is Hallucination

“I put away my art for about three years after I first discovered the Unification faith, but it was still very much a part of who I was. I remember one time being scolded after I stopped to write a poem, instead of participating with the rest of the group. It was something that seemed urgent—‘If I don’t get this down I’ll lose it!’

After I graduated from the Unification Theological Seminary, I took on a leadership role in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This was a 24/7 job, and I had a flower stand that helped us raise money for the local church. I would bring my easel, set it up next to the buckets of flowers, and paint right there. Some people thought I was crazy, but it still felt important.

One of my favorite quotes is, “inspiration without implementation is hallucination.” I’ve had the chance to teach many art students, and the one thing I always tell them is they have to put time aside for art. You can’t just wait around for inspiration to find you. Inspiration is only one side of the coin. If you sit around and wait for inspiration to come and hit you, you won’t have the time to cultivate your skills. So even if it was a few hours a week painting on the street while fundraising, I felt like it was important enough to make the time for it.”

To learn more about Kevin and see more of his work, visit his website at mythicgold.com