The first person to use this phrase in the form we know today (“beauty is in the eye of the beholder”) was the author Margaret Wolfe Hungerford. She included the phrase in her book 'Molly Bawn' (1878). It has been quoted so often that people take this to be absolutely true but is it?

 

I got to thinking about this last night at an artist reception. "Beautiful" was said frequently to describe the art. So, was it truly beautiful or was that just an opinion in the eye of the beholder?

 

Here is something to think about. What if there is an absolute beauty? What if there is an absolute good and therefore, an absolute bad?  What if something is either true or false? Wait a minute! Doesn't our culture say that all of these things are relative? Aren't all of these debatable in a free society? The group think is that it is all relative. But what do you think?

 

I put these ideas out there not just for artists but for everyone. If there is absolute truth, goodness, and beauty, don't you want to pursue it? Aren't these things of fundamental importance in life? Perhaps these things are part of the happiness we all seek but seems difficult to find.

 

If we have difficulty seeing these things, maybe it is because we have desensitized ourselves to the important things in life. Let us surround ourselves with the truly good and beautiful things in this world. Surround yourself with nature, good literature, music and art. Turn off reality TV and social media.  I wonder how different the world would be if more of us did that?

 

Sue and Suzy, the artist with the split personality