Why Art Matters More in Uncertain Times
Jan 21, 2026
In recent weeks, our family here at Château de Puy Vidal has been feeling it — the tension, the unease, the quiet sense that the world feels unsettled in ways both large and small. Political uncertainty, global unrest, and the relentless pace of the news cycle can leave us overstimulated, unmoored, and unsure where to rest our attention.
When the world feels like this, we often find ourselves looking to the past - we turn to the wisdom of past generations for perspective, for reassurance, and for relief from a kind of chaos that feels uniquely ours, but never truly is. History reminds us that people — and artists in particular — have always created in uncertain times. And often, it was precisely this uncertainty that sharpened their way of seeing.
One of the artists we return to again and again is Claude Monet.
If you know even a little about Monet’s life, you’ll know that some of his most devoted years of painting unfolded during profound turmoil. Wars raged beyond his garden in Giverny. Society was shifting. Certainty was scarce. And yet, he painted — obsessively, tenderly — returning again and again to light, water, and the fleeting nature of a single moment in his home and surrounding gardens.
This is the quiet power of Impressionism that keeps us so enthralled by the art of this era.
Impressionist painting is not about escape. It’s about presence. About learning how to look closely when everything else urges us to look away. About resisting the impulse to overwork, overthink, or control — and instead responding to what is actually in front of us.
When the world feels unsteady, this way of seeing matters deeply.
“The job of the artist is to be engaged in the world in a way that doesn’t dull the senses.”
— Susan Sontag
And so, an art practice — whether you’re learning to paint for the first time, returning to a medium you once loved, joining a beginner painting challenge, or simply giving yourself permission to create again — is a small but radical act in times like these.
It’s a way of telling your nervous system to ground itself. To slow down. To notice.
Here at the Château, this practice takes many forms. Julia and I photograph the changing light as it moves through the rooms. We work on our youtube videos, shaping stories from lived moments. We write — sometimes to make sense of what we’re feeling, sometimes just to observe it more clearly. And often, we simply sit and look. We let ourselves be attentive to what’s unfolding around us, knowing that all creative practices begin with presence.
To observe the shifting light on a wall.
To consider the temperature of a shadow.
To notice how color moves and softens throughout the day.
Winter here unfolds in a daily spectrum: blue, misty mornings; grey, rain-soaked afternoons; and then, just before evening, a sudden wash of gold — a fleeting warmth that feels like a quiet gift. These moments are easy to miss when our heads are buried in renovations, property management, or the work of building The Lady of the Château from our computers, reaching outward to the world beyond these walls.
This is why a medium like painting — and especially Impressionist painting — continues to call people back in uncertain times, alongside other creative practices rooted in observation. It asks us to stay with the moment we’re in, rather than rush past it.
Art is not a solution to the world’s problems.
But it is an anchor.
It brings us back into our bodies.
It reconnects us to shared human experience.
It reminds us that beauty still exists — and that making something with our hands helps us stay engaged without becoming consumed.
If recent events have left you craving something steadier, quieter, and more real, we understand — we’re feeling it too. And if your desire to create has been flickering, wavering, or gently tugging at you, perhaps that’s not something to ignore.
Pick up your brush.
Make a mark.
Begin where you are.
This is our reminder to create — imperfectly, attentively, perhaps even in community. If you feel called, we’d love to see what you’re making. Share your work with us on Instagram @theladyofthechateau and use the hashtag #ArtAnchors. We’ll be resharing pieces from our community as a small way of honoring this shared act of looking, making, and remembering why art matters — especially now.
If the world feels like it’s spinning, let’s keep holding — and creating — space together. One mark at a time.
Warmly,
Caroline & Julia
