My friend, Sharon Weaver, is really a marvelous artist. (www.SharonWeaver.com) She recently won first prize in The Valley Artists Guild show, for a stunning studio piece featuring the Monterey coastline. When I congratulated her on the win, she told me the story of how when she had been working on this winning piece, she had become so frustrated that she actually put her brush right through the canvas, ruining both brush and canvas. What followed, though, was something she regarded as a "breakthrough" in her painting, and her new approach was noticed and honored by the juror.
Maybe it's important to allow our frustration to surface once in a while... I'm not advocating we regularly destroy our tools, but I think my friend, who's normally quite refined and self controlled, just hit a "wall" that she had to tear down, and needed to do something symbolic in order to accomplish that.
This wouldn't be the kind of thing you could ever plan or stage: that wouldn't be authentic or help anyone to grow. But if we were to be more aware of our own frustration creeping in, and maybe give it a little bit of space; if we were look our frustration squarely in the eye when it occurred, instead of bulldozing right over it, perhaps we would understand and learn and be able to allow "breakthrough" moments of our own.
November 1, 2010
October 8, 2010
Maintaining the Awe
I recently heard noted plein air painter Tim Solliday say: "Painting is a combination of physics and poetry." That's a great way to put it. Paul Cezanne said "A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art. Emotion is the starting point, the beginning and the end. Craftsmanship and technique are in the middle."
I'm beginning to sense the importance of maintaining the poetry, the awe, throughout the process. I feel like it may be pretty common for painters to start out full of poetry, creating something fresh and alive with emotional energy, but somewhere in the process when we become more focused on technique, perhaps trying to push ourselves when we're also a little tired/hungry, it's easy to loose hold of our emotion/poetry for the piece, and the work loses its luster. Ever had that happen to you?
In other art forms, artists are able to "undo" muddled work and get back to the fresh part, but it's not that easy in painting... I'm going to try and be more conscious of this in the future; to step back and take my own emotional pulse now and then, as I'm working, and recharge as needed.
I'm beginning to sense the importance of maintaining the poetry, the awe, throughout the process. I feel like it may be pretty common for painters to start out full of poetry, creating something fresh and alive with emotional energy, but somewhere in the process when we become more focused on technique, perhaps trying to push ourselves when we're also a little tired/hungry, it's easy to loose hold of our emotion/poetry for the piece, and the work loses its luster. Ever had that happen to you?
In other art forms, artists are able to "undo" muddled work and get back to the fresh part, but it's not that easy in painting... I'm going to try and be more conscious of this in the future; to step back and take my own emotional pulse now and then, as I'm working, and recharge as needed.
October 5, 2010
Uncommon Bonds of Inspiration
That which truly inspires us as artists is as unique and spiritual as our innermost thoughts, perceptions and being. As artists, we are probably more intensely aware of our individuality than the average person; we learn quite young that the creation of art is a solo journey. The fortunate among us are able to surround ourselves with support networks of love and encouragement from family and friends: this alone is an uncommon gift.
How very rare and precious it is, though, to find people whose inspiration actually springs from a well quite similar to our own. On my recent expedition to the Channel Islands National Park with a group of fellow plein-air painters, I was blessed to find this rare depth of simpatico, and am much richer a human being and artist for it.
With the traveling companionship of my family or friends, I’m usually the one calling attention to the magnificence of the scenery, its myriad colors and forms… a duty I take quite seriously. With the companionship of fellow painters, though, the reaction of AWE was practically a given; almost everybody had that weak-in-the-knees / takes-your-breath-away response to the majesty of that which we were so privleged to witness. This uncommon bond with my fellow artists has profoundly affected me, and will nurture my inspiration, always.
How very rare and precious it is, though, to find people whose inspiration actually springs from a well quite similar to our own. On my recent expedition to the Channel Islands National Park with a group of fellow plein-air painters, I was blessed to find this rare depth of simpatico, and am much richer a human being and artist for it.
With the traveling companionship of my family or friends, I’m usually the one calling attention to the magnificence of the scenery, its myriad colors and forms… a duty I take quite seriously. With the companionship of fellow painters, though, the reaction of AWE was practically a given; almost everybody had that weak-in-the-knees / takes-your-breath-away response to the majesty of that which we were so privleged to witness. This uncommon bond with my fellow artists has profoundly affected me, and will nurture my inspiration, always.
April 15, 2010
TUNING INTO OUR AWE
My quest for inspiration continues, and is intricately entwined with the quest for that which inspires me...
That which inspires is quite unique to the individual: for me it's usually natural scenic beauty that takes my breath away. Usually that comes in the tangible form of 20,000 foot high thunderheads, or mountains of any height, or the color green in its infinite varieties, but our Earth is full of surprises that delight and inspire me. I'll bet you can name the some of the kinds of things that inspire you.
Translating that delight and inspiration into Inspiration during the process of creation, is a matter of enabling ourselves to "tune in" to our awe, thoroughly and completely. It's a delicate balance which enables this. Being overtired or mentally preoccupied, we won't be likely to find the state of inspiration we seek. We must be prepared physically, mentally and spiritually, almost like an athlete is prepared for a game. The mental preparation includes intimate knowledge of our own particular art form.
But, at the moment of real Inspiration, we are completely absorbed by the experience, and no longer so conscious of ourselves, mentally or physically, or the technical aspects of our creative process. I believe that the best creative experiences come from deep within our spiritual realm.
That which inspires is quite unique to the individual: for me it's usually natural scenic beauty that takes my breath away. Usually that comes in the tangible form of 20,000 foot high thunderheads, or mountains of any height, or the color green in its infinite varieties, but our Earth is full of surprises that delight and inspire me. I'll bet you can name the some of the kinds of things that inspire you.
Translating that delight and inspiration into Inspiration during the process of creation, is a matter of enabling ourselves to "tune in" to our awe, thoroughly and completely. It's a delicate balance which enables this. Being overtired or mentally preoccupied, we won't be likely to find the state of inspiration we seek. We must be prepared physically, mentally and spiritually, almost like an athlete is prepared for a game. The mental preparation includes intimate knowledge of our own particular art form.
But, at the moment of real Inspiration, we are completely absorbed by the experience, and no longer so conscious of ourselves, mentally or physically, or the technical aspects of our creative process. I believe that the best creative experiences come from deep within our spiritual realm.
January 21, 2010
SILENCE...
I was just thinking about silence.... and how utterly blissful it can be. It is wonderfully fertile soil for the creative imagination, and quite rare and valuable when you think about our "culture" of televisions, white earbuds, leaf blowers and dogs barking... Ah ha: no wonder... it's been raining for five days here in Southern California, and I've barely heard a leaf blower. I could get used to this.
Usually, when I "work" at my art, I play music. Jazz is most inspiring to me, but I'm eclectic. Perhaps, I will try and create a little more silence in my studio, and see how that goes. I'll get back to you....
Usually, when I "work" at my art, I play music. Jazz is most inspiring to me, but I'm eclectic. Perhaps, I will try and create a little more silence in my studio, and see how that goes. I'll get back to you....
January 20, 2010
TRANSFORMING OUR PERCEPTION
I came across a wonderful article entitled "What Allows Creativity to happen?" by Kent Meyers, on a website called "Prairie Wind Writer." He's a creative writing instructor who has addressed the subject very eloquently in this piece, first, by citing a moving personal anecdote, self described as "one of the most powerful creative moments of [his] life." * He feels like creativity is always kind of a miracle, and I would certainly echo his awe.
Mr. Meyers says also that the magnitude of a sudden creative transformation is difficult to describe. So true. One minute, you're up to your elbows in the nuts and bolts of a project, and the next, you have an utterly complete, crystal clear vision of how it should be... He describes it as a kind of perceptual change, and believes that in order for this transformation to occur, you must first be thoroughly absorbed in a project.
If we commit ourselves to the seed of an idea; if we really and truly involve ourselves with it, it will germinate and bud and leaf and branch into a full fledged miracle not unlike a tree.
Meyers also says that "Creativity by its very nature is inefficient: we are working at discovering new patterns of thought and perception. If we knew an efficient road to them, there would be no discovery." * He says we need to allow ourselves an inefficient space in which to create.
I've only scratched the surface of this brilliant, insightful article. I hope you'll take the time to read it, if not now, bookmark it for later. Here's the link: http://prairiewindswriter.org/content/resources/articles/creativity.htm
Mr. Meyers says also that the magnitude of a sudden creative transformation is difficult to describe. So true. One minute, you're up to your elbows in the nuts and bolts of a project, and the next, you have an utterly complete, crystal clear vision of how it should be... He describes it as a kind of perceptual change, and believes that in order for this transformation to occur, you must first be thoroughly absorbed in a project.
If we commit ourselves to the seed of an idea; if we really and truly involve ourselves with it, it will germinate and bud and leaf and branch into a full fledged miracle not unlike a tree.
Meyers also says that "Creativity by its very nature is inefficient: we are working at discovering new patterns of thought and perception. If we knew an efficient road to them, there would be no discovery." * He says we need to allow ourselves an inefficient space in which to create.
I've only scratched the surface of this brilliant, insightful article. I hope you'll take the time to read it, if not now, bookmark it for later. Here's the link: http://prairiewindswriter.org/content/resources/articles/creativity.htm
January 15, 2010
POST www: THE CREATIVE PROCESS
The January 18th issue of Newsweek Magazine included a piece by Sharon Begley, entitled, "Your Brain Online"
As an artist, I would have to take issue with her final thought on creativity, which concludes that due to a flood of information, creativity has become a process of “destruction rather than assembly.”
While this may be true about the process of research today, I believe that the truly creative thought process is still based upon the uncommon or unlikely connection of ideas, unrelated to the volume of information through which one must trudge in order to achieve that.
If you get a chance, read the article. It's food for thought. Here's a link to it: http://www.newsweek.com/id/229843
January 10, 2010
THE WILL TO SEE IT THROUGH
I watched the film "Frost/Nixon" last night, and the story is a valuable lesson on inspiration. Upon seeing news footage of Nixon leaving the White House in disgrace, Frost had the idea to interview him. It was a big, expensive undertaking, with a ton of prep work.
With three out of four interviews complete, no one except David Frost himself, believed that the final outcome would yield anything worthwhile, and yet, Frost had truly believed in the concept from his first moment of inspiration, even staking his fortunes on it. Instead of joining his colleagues who'd lost heart, he persevered, to great success.
Having a clear vision, being certain about the right direction and staying the course....Believing in an idea enough to see it through, even in the face of one's own doubts, others' criticism or impending failure....these are all pieces of what genuine inspiration looks like.
With three out of four interviews complete, no one except David Frost himself, believed that the final outcome would yield anything worthwhile, and yet, Frost had truly believed in the concept from his first moment of inspiration, even staking his fortunes on it. Instead of joining his colleagues who'd lost heart, he persevered, to great success.
Having a clear vision, being certain about the right direction and staying the course....Believing in an idea enough to see it through, even in the face of one's own doubts, others' criticism or impending failure....these are all pieces of what genuine inspiration looks like.
January 7, 2010
RISING TO NEW CHALLENGES
Today, I realized how completely refreshing it can be to experiment in a new medium! Rising to new creative challenges, whether in our primary medium, or a diversion, can sometimes delight and surprise us. This can energize us, creatively, helping us find new passion, focus and depth of insight, which will then come through in our work.
January 6, 2010
SPARKS FLYING
What a difference! Yesterday, an acupuncture session and an art club meeting lifted my energy level! Nurturing our physical, mental and spiritual selves can be a good way to start energizing our inspiration.
This evening there was a particularly brilliant sunset which made me think about how euphoric those colors make me feel! It was a spectacular show and I had the luxury of spending some time studying, as it unfolded. As a painter, color is both tool and vice for me. Some colors in nature make me want to drink them to excess and bathe in them!
Many great painters have studied nature in depth, learning much from her. In his "Reminiscences," the abstract painter, Vassily Kandinsky, talked about how sunset was a magical time of day, when the colors profoundly inspired him.
As artists looking for deeper inspiration, we can try and figure out what elements of our art inspire us most, and immerse ourselves in them, especially when we need an energy boost.
This evening there was a particularly brilliant sunset which made me think about how euphoric those colors make me feel! It was a spectacular show and I had the luxury of spending some time studying, as it unfolded. As a painter, color is both tool and vice for me. Some colors in nature make me want to drink them to excess and bathe in them!
Many great painters have studied nature in depth, learning much from her. In his "Reminiscences," the abstract painter, Vassily Kandinsky, talked about how sunset was a magical time of day, when the colors profoundly inspired him.
As artists looking for deeper inspiration, we can try and figure out what elements of our art inspire us most, and immerse ourselves in them, especially when we need an energy boost.
January 5, 2010
LOOKING FOR A SPARK
So, do you ever hit that wall, where you're too tired to dredge up the effort for creativity? One of my college professors said that whenever he felt that way, he'd make himself go sweep out his studio. The point is, when we are too tired, if we can steep ourselves in the paraphernalia and surround ourselves with our creative process somehow, it can work to energize us.
I still feel there is mystery and magic to be uncovered, but maybe I'll have more energy for it after I clean out my studio: it needs it!
I still feel there is mystery and magic to be uncovered, but maybe I'll have more energy for it after I clean out my studio: it needs it!
January 4, 2010
THE MYSTERIES OF REALITY
Here are a few poignant thoughts from a speech entitled "On My Painting" the painter, Max Beckman gave in London, in1938.* Beckman was important in the style called "New Objectivism," a subset of the German Expressionists. His figures were realistic, somewhat distorted, and monumental scale, his canvases around 6'H x 10'W. His experiences in WWI, and later, fleeing the Nazis, gave his work a tortured, haunting beauty.
"What I want to show in my work is the idea which hides itself behind so-called reality. I am seeking the bridge which leads from the visible to the invisible... My aim is always to get hold of the magic of reality and to transfer this reality into painting - to make the invisible visible through reality. It may sound paradoxical, but it is, in fact, reality which forms the mystery of our existence..."
(And now, in the year 2010, 72 year later, Quantum Physics has shown us that reality is indeed, mysterious!)
"In my opinion, all important things in art... have always originated from the deepest feeling about the mystery of Being. Self-realization is the urge of all objective spirits. It is this Self, for which I am searching in my life and my art..."
"To transform height, width and depth into two dimensions is for me an experience full of magic in which I glimpse, for a moment, that fourth dimension which my whole being is seeking."
Seeking a spiritual experience seems to be one of the common motivations for the act of creating. It occurs to me that most of the time, the deep inspiration we seek, may actually come to us as we engage in the creative process, as opposed to beforehand.
"What I want to show in my work is the idea which hides itself behind so-called reality. I am seeking the bridge which leads from the visible to the invisible... My aim is always to get hold of the magic of reality and to transfer this reality into painting - to make the invisible visible through reality. It may sound paradoxical, but it is, in fact, reality which forms the mystery of our existence..."
(And now, in the year 2010, 72 year later, Quantum Physics has shown us that reality is indeed, mysterious!)
"In my opinion, all important things in art... have always originated from the deepest feeling about the mystery of Being. Self-realization is the urge of all objective spirits. It is this Self, for which I am searching in my life and my art..."
"To transform height, width and depth into two dimensions is for me an experience full of magic in which I glimpse, for a moment, that fourth dimension which my whole being is seeking."
Seeking a spiritual experience seems to be one of the common motivations for the act of creating. It occurs to me that most of the time, the deep inspiration we seek, may actually come to us as we engage in the creative process, as opposed to beforehand.
January 3, 2010
THE INTRICATE DANCE OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Inspiration is COMPLICATED. Sometimes it’s a fleeting, bare wisp of a concept that needs to be nurtured and molded. Other times (the lucky times…) it comes to us whole and intact, an exact concept in our mind that we only need to replicate. Mostly, inspiration lies somewhere between the lightning bolt and the hunch, but when we have some kind of idea we consider worthy, it’s often enough to get us off and running off in the right direction…
It’s important to try and keep active, practicing our art form. We can’t sit and wait for the perfect “revelation:” it doesn't always work that way. Julia Cameron, author of "The Artist's Way" says that enthusiasm for our art should be less of an emotion, more of a commitment, a "loving surrender to our creative process." *
Have you ever begun a project on a whim, and only after getting deeply involved in it, understood the REAL significance of the piece? Those are the times when the inspiration can be deeply spiritual and magical.
OBSERVATION: It seems that by acting upon an original inspiration, we can open ourselves up to deeper and more profound levels of inspiration as we dance that intricate dance of creative expression.
It’s important to try and keep active, practicing our art form. We can’t sit and wait for the perfect “revelation:” it doesn't always work that way. Julia Cameron, author of "The Artist's Way" says that enthusiasm for our art should be less of an emotion, more of a commitment, a "loving surrender to our creative process." *
Have you ever begun a project on a whim, and only after getting deeply involved in it, understood the REAL significance of the piece? Those are the times when the inspiration can be deeply spiritual and magical.
OBSERVATION: It seems that by acting upon an original inspiration, we can open ourselves up to deeper and more profound levels of inspiration as we dance that intricate dance of creative expression.
January 2, 2010
FULL INTENSITY INSPIRATION
“…and thus, the native hue of resolution
is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,
and enterprises of great pith and moment
with this regard their currents turn awry
and lose the name of action.”
- William Shakespeare, Hamlet: Act 3, Scene 1
(Forgetting, for a moment, the context of these lines...)
What an appropriate thought for the beginning of a New Year! I wish everyone the best for this coming year, with especially, the courage to ride the current of our inspiration 'till we manifest it!
Being primarily a visual artist, I find a beautiful metaphor in Shakespeare’s thought here. He likens resolution (or inspiration) to the intensity of a deep, rich, vibrant color. Then, he suggests that thinking too much about a resolution (or inspiration) will dim its intensity and brilliance. Picture what a dense fog does to brilliant colors: this is what he meant by a "pale cast." In fog, all the intensity is lost and you have soft, diluted, weak colors.
Inspiration can easily become a fragile and tenuous thing. Weakened in any way, it will not yield us the purest creative expression we seek to manifest. We need to guard our inspiration carefully, from our own and others' distractions. We need to treat our inspiration with respect, as the truly valuable entity it is. We need to focus clearly on it and if necessary, sequester ourselves until we have visualized it thoroughly, and at its fullest intensity. Then that inspiration can illuminate us and our world through our art.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
JANUARY 1, 2010
Have you ever encountered a work of art that makes you weak in the knees?
What state of mind and spirit is at the foundation of such successful creative expression?
I will explore this question and more in this newly created blog about
INSPIRATION.
It will be a quest for a deeper understanding and appreciation of what drives us (the human race) creatively. I’m hoping that, as result of this journey, you and I will be able to look back in review of the year 2010, and say, enthusiastically, that our artistic pursuits have been enriched because we contemplated this worthy subject.
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