“Human beings are meaning makers. Artists haven’t forgotten that about themselves, and they haven’t allowed anything or anyone to beat it out of them. And life certainly does try to get you to stop. I’m lucky; I’ve passed the point where the beating works so I’m freed up to go on my own way. I’m following a creative path because life is strong and demanding and art makes it more than something to be tolerated. Art gets you to see why and how it is magnificent and empowering and your birthright.
“The artist is an important contributor to society because we help people to find the feast. It’s our role, and it’s an important one. We’re not entertainers, although some of what we do will entertain. We’re not gadflies, although some of our work will prod and poke. We’re not decorators, although some of our work will dazzle with its skill.
“We are meaning shapers in a world that desperately needs us, regardless of what is spent on us per capita. Personally speaking, there isn’t a bank big enough to hold the amount of money that we artists are worth. I can’t be sidetracked by measuring out my worth in a system designed by bean counters for bean counters. I’ll take my measure some other way.”
— Aida Mancillas (1953-2009)
