When’s the last time you did something artistic?

We all have different takes on “what separates us from the animals;” artistic expression is mine. Sure, elephants and chimps can be trained to paint pictures, but do they do it when the trainer’s not around, simply to gaze at it and hang it on the wall of their habitat? I think not.

If we didn’t have ways to articulate our emotions – whether it’s through writing sonnets, tribal drumming, slam-dancing or fingerpainting – we’d be walking neuroses, even more stressed-out and messed up than we already are.

But you don’t have to be a creative genius to enjoy being artistic. Even doing a counted cross-stitch project or a paint-by-number kit can leave you with a feeling of accomplishment.

I got my fill of artistic expression Saturday, when I spent 10 hours painting the props for the Astoria Marching Band’s field show, “Labyrinth.” Instead of trying to literally present the Greek myth of Theseus and the minotaur, the show takes viewers on a metaphorical twisting path of struggle, acceptance and joy. The band members move among six 8-foot-by-8-foot upright panels meant to look like sections of natural rock face.

Thanks to a YouTube video and a trip through the Columbia Gorge, I figured out the technique for painting stone-like surfaces, and with the help of other band parents, we rolled and sprayed until we had our rocks. And I must say, they turned out extraordinarily well. Stay tuned to this space for details on when you can see our works of art at a local high school football game.