Defining art through wishes on walls: An artistic fundraiser

What is art? For what feels like my whole life I have struggled to solve this puzzle of a question. I know what art can be: beautiful, meaningful, revolutionary, important. However, I can not seem to come up with a good enough definition for what art is. 

Fortunately, a new piece was added to this puzzle Sept. 20.  The grand opening of Art Soup Collective’s month long fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation was held at the International Museum of Art. 

Photos by Daniela Félix

For the next month, the museum’s walls will showcase a vibrant mix of artworks. Some pieces were created by local artists, others were born from collaborative painting sessions with patients, families and students across El Paso from Placita Santa Fe to St. Pius Catholic School.  The assortment of art beautifully displayed in the museum was a show stopping sight and showcased the immense talent of the community. 

This gallery was not only about admiring talent, though, it was about transforming lives. Each brushstroke on every canvas carried a purpose to turn art into wishes. The inspiring, community made artworks hope to find new homes through a silent auction, with 100 percent  of proceeds dedicated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which will change the lives of kids by granting them life changing opportunities and experiences.  

As I moved from canvas to canvas, every single piece felt like a needle of joy threaded deeply into my heart. I could not help but wonder if this is what art is all about. Perhaps, art resists definition because it changes the fiber of your being with every glimpse. That afternoon, I found a puzzle piece reminding me that art shifts depending on who holds the brush, who stands in front of the canvas, and what their heart is overwhelmed with. 

The artists of these pieces themselves echoed this truth in their own ways. Pam Schuster, artist and Cofounder of Art Soup Collective, did not hesitate to share what art means to her. 

According to Schuster, art is about, “Being inspired to create, being inspired to help others, [and] being available for other people because everybody has stuff going on and it’s important to be there.” 

Schuster words mirrored the very spirit of the afternoon, a reminder that art is not just creation, but connection. 

For Gina Michelle Lochausen, another local artist, art was a gentle encouragement.

Lochausen described it as, “A reminder of how easy it is to lift each other up.” 

This was a sentiment reflected in the collaborative paintings made side by side with patients, families and friends. 

Meanwhile, artist Scott Hovis hoped his work carried a lesson in boldness. 

“It’s okay to break all the rules and still be successful,” Hovis said. 

His words felt like a brushstroke of permission to those who fear coloring outside the lines. 

Finally, artist Susan Ryde left me with a thought I carried home. 

“We can coexist with others and make a beautiful picture rather than being separate in everything we do,” Ryde said. 

Her belief was painted across the gallery walls, each canvas proving that collaboration creates beauty far greater than isolation ever could. 

Together, these voices painted a portrait of art not as a strict definition, but as a practice of generosity, resilience and hope. This was more than a gallery opening, it was a movement of community spirit. 

I walked out of the International Museum of Art that afternoon with no concrete definition of art, but with something far better, an understanding. Art is the brushstroke that connects us, the canvas that holds our shared stories, the quiet reminder that beauty and kindness are never separate. If art cannot be defined, perhaps that is because it was never meant to be. It was meant to be lived.  

About Me

Karen Hernandez is a member of Women In Media and may be reached at karen33hdz@gmail.com