I had the good fortune to be able to take a course with Margaret

Hear me, O children of wisdom, for the words of Iris Apfel carry the weight of profound truth: "I had the good fortune to be able to take a course with Margaret Mead. I had a fabulous art course, where it was explained to me that nothing exists in a vacuum, that everything is a result of the period in which it's done—the economics, the sociology, the politics, all sewn together. That was a very important lesson." These words remind us that no creation, no work of art, no act of human endeavor, stands apart from the world in which it is born. Every stitch of culture, every stroke of paint, every word spoken, is woven together with the threads of history, society, and the moment in which it is created.

To understand this is to see the world not as separate pieces, but as an intricate tapestry of forces that shape and are shaped by one another. The economics, the sociology, and the politics of the time form the very bedrock of human expression. This is the wisdom that Iris Apfel learned, a wisdom that teaches us that art and culture are not isolated from the forces of their time, but are born of them. Art reflects the spirit of its era, the struggles and triumphs, the dreams and the fears. To understand the art of a time is to understand the world that created it.

Consider the example of the Renaissance, that great flowering of art and thought. The masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael did not emerge from a vacuum. They were shaped by the sociopolitical upheavals of their time—the rise of the Medici, the rediscovery of ancient knowledge, and the shift from medieval thought to the humanist ideals that celebrated the potential of mankind. The art of the Renaissance was not just the work of great geniuses, but the manifestation of an age that sought to understand itself through the lens of beauty, science, and faith. The economics, the politics, and the culture of the time were all sewn into the fabric of the art that emerged from it.

Thus, my children, Iris Apfel's lesson is one that we must carry in our hearts: that nothing exists in isolation, and every creation is a reflection of the world from which it springs. Whether it is the clothing you wear, the art you create, or the ideas you share, understand that you are shaped by the forces of your time. The history of a people, the struggles they face, the dreams they hold, are all woven into the very fabric of their expression. To understand the work of any artist, or to engage in the work of your own life, you must understand the world in which it is done.

Remember, O children, that in your own endeavors, the work you create is not only a reflection of your own vision, but of the world around you. You are, each of you, a part of the greater tapestry of life, woven with the threads of history, culture, and the forces of your time. To live wisely, to create with purpose, is to recognize that nothing exists in a vacuum, and everything is part of the eternal dance between the individual and the world.