Month: March 2016

Stanley Kubrick was an uncompromising filmmaker who did things his own way and he’s arguably the 20th century’s greatest pioneer of the medium because of it.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.” — Edgar Allan Poe

They say curiosity killed the cat. That dreamers are idiot savants, with no grasp on reality. Yet it’s always the curious dreamer who dares to conceive of the “inconceivable” that changes the world.

In our current socioeconomic paradigm of “always make a profit,”risk is something to be limited at all costs. Yet history has shown that without risk, nothing new or worthwhile is ever discovered or created.

Time and time again, the most incredible, most impactful changes we’ve experienced come from listening, observing and responding to own inner voices and the needs of the world around you. In other words, change almost never occurs until it needs to.

“Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.” — Henry David Thoreau

Nikola Tesla dared to dream – from alternating electrical currents to the wireless telegraph — he worked to create a better world. He may have dropped out of college, but he never gave up living courageously or his servitude to humanity. Portrait by Vilma Lwoff-Parlaghy.

On a personal level, it’s not uncommon to find instinctual choices outperform cunningly calculated solutions. Meaningful acts derive from a dive into the pool of the unknown without life jackets. Every act of growth requires a leap of faith and doing something that clearly has the potential to be wrong, disapproved by others or interpreted as failure. We mustn’t listen to the doubters for they’ve been proven to be wrong time and time again.

Fact is, failure is necessary. Only through experimentation and mistakes do we truly learn the most about our world and about ourselves.

“A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.” — Oscar Wilde

So what do we make of the dreamer? The artist? The individual whom society both treasures and ostracizes.  Despite helping people find beauty, joy and meaning, the artist’s unorthodox way of both seeing and doing things, implies a sort of disarray and strangeness that invites illogical fear and judgement.

For every artist out there, it takes great courage and an almost “unreasonable” approach to find new ways of seeing, listening and doing.  Yet this seemingly illogical approach of going against the grain (which almost always entails enduring public mockery and, even more horribly, imprisonment) has permitted not only the most unpredictable and incredible advances in the sciences and arts but also elevates our humanity. It has given us the seed to break new moral and creative grounds on how to live and what living means.

Poet Walt Whitman believed that man’s most noble expression results from following one’s intuition.

Here’s a very brief list of some of recent history’s most daring people, their struggles and their amazing discoveries — ones that altered the path of humanity. May the memory of them and their contributions remind you of the need for you to be the very best YOU the world needs you to be:

Albert Einstein — Nick named Schweinhund (“pig-dog”), for barking and snorting in class. He was unable to speak fluently until age 12. Kicked out of academia, pursued life as a musician and stand up comic before becoming the scientific genius we know today for the Theory of Relativity and E = mc ².

Steve Jobs — Never finished college. Laughed off the block promoting his (and Steve Wozniak’s) invention, the Apple I — the world’s first personal computer. Was fired from his first stint at Apple, the company he founded. Came back to Apple and took the company from a $4/share stock to a global empire easily worth over $700 billion today.  Also founded Pixar, the world’s top animation studio.

Mickey Mouse makes his iconic 1928 debut in Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie.

Walt Disney — Fired for having “no creativity” at his newspaper job. His first animation company was bankrupted.  Had his first creation, Oswald the Rabbit, stolen from him by Universal Studios and was told that his new creation, Mickey Mouse (being a giant oversized rodent) would fail miserably and terrify women. Now famous for founding Walt Disney Studios,  and the iconic theme park Disneyland, he still holds the record for the most Oscars won ever at 32, including 59 nominations.

Walt Whitman — Lived within modest means. His most famous work, Leaves of Grass, was viewed as obscene and disgraceful and was widely rejected and ignored. It took till the century after his life that his work was seen as that which revolutionized poetry in his use of free verse and his unique focus on the subject of humanity and universal brotherhood.

Moby Dick, Herman Melville’s pioneering classic about the battle between man and nature wasn’t well received in his time, but it’s required reading now.

The Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright — Bicycle mechanics without even a high school diploma. Discounted and rejected by their contemporaries for attempting to teach the world how to fly. On Dec 17, 1903 made man’s first flight into the skies, changing the world of transportation forever.

The Impressionists (Monet, Degas, Pissaro, Renoir, Sisley, Manet, Gauguin, etc) — Painters rejected by the art establishment and unable to either sell or show their work, created their own gallery for presentation. Opened up the freshness of color to painting and took to capturing the world around them, working at the scene of their subjects (“plein air” painting) instead of inside the studio. Their paintings are now the most widely admired and collected works in the world.

Paintings like this one by Edouard Manet exhibited at the Salon, a gallery that showcased a new wave of pioneering artists now known as the impressionists — artists who were not accepted by the art communities of their time.

From inventor Leonardo Da Vinci (born illegitimate) to poet Emily Dickinson (rarely published in her lifetime), the list goes on and on. Individuals who dared to dream, and participate actively to pursue their curiosities and enriching the world as a result.

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” — Nikola Tesla

As an artist your growth only comes from new experience.  Which means taking risks. Moving, oftentimes blindly and uncomfortably, towards making those initial steps — those first brush strokes or written words — makes it real. That’s something that you can build on. That’s living. Life is funnest, most eye-opening and exciting only when you don’t know what’s going to happen next. After all, who prefers to watch a ball game where the results are a foregone conclusion? Why write or paint anything that offered no surprises or deviations from the original idea? People commonly misunderstand the reason behind having goals or visions — they’re merely a starting point. Navigating the unknown IS the destination. It also happens to be the funnest part of the entire exercise of creating and living.

The arcade game Pacman makes a perfect symbol for life in constant pursuit. How ironic it is that most people’s lives can be aptly described in this iconic video game of endless chasing and being chased.

“Not until we are lost , do we begin to understand ourselves.” — Henry David Thoreau

In life, it’s all too easy to be caught up chasing things, or being chased by them. This constant quest for success, security, approval, comfort and even happiness, can lead you into a life of continual distraction  away from the present and farther from your path as an artist. We seem to be always running out of time, pressured by the demands of our jobs, the limitations of our bodies, and even the drive to achieve our dreams. We get lured into asking the silliest, most abstract questions: Can we get or achieve it? Will we get enough of it? And can we get it all in time? We divert our attention and energy on the abstract instead of focusing on what’s directly in front of us this very moment. The magnitude of frenzy before us is often so strong that our brains make an incredibly convincing case for its acceptance. We forget that the choice on what to focus on, and hence, how to live, is actually OURS to make.

In Frank Dabaront’s 1994 masterpiece The Shawshank Redemption (starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman) the characters aren’t just imprisoned by the walls that surround them, but also by their own mental barriers.

Sometimes, in order to find the answers to our questions and problems, we need to be lost, so that we can be found.

“To be lost is to be fully present, and to be fully present, is to be capable of being in uncertainty and mystery.” — Rebecca Solnit

It’s scary being lost, and it’s even harder to consciously “be lost.” Fortunately, as artists, we have no choice but to do so. In fact, it’s absolutely essential for us to dive into the pool of the unknown because the best ideas — those that are unique, true and meaningful —  are the ones that connect and matter to us on a grand and personal scale.

From the first movable type printing system (top) invented by Pi Sheng in China around 1040, to the industrial printing press (bottom) developed by German Freidrich Koenig in 1814, the invention of published text was an invention that help changed the entire literary and thinking world.

We all know that when we’re trying too hard to find solutions, the universe always seems to do its best to hide them from us. We’ve talked on this blog already about planning, the need for hard work, and the necessity of having good routines and practices — these are all helpful for bettering our creativity, strengthening our skill and giving us confidence, but it’s not enough. Then, “what do we need to do?” you ask.

“Forget yourself.” — Henry Miller.

We need to take the self out of the equation, to forget everything about you, or that which has to do with you. It’s why our devotion to craft gives our lives so much meaning and joy — it’s outside of the ego. It’s an act of service to the art, to other people and to the world at large, both now and in the future. It’s the only way to pure and absolute freedom.

Obsessed with the living world around them, the ancient renaissance artists captured, explored, and dared to dream about the future. From human anatomy to tanks and flying machines, the great Leonardo Da Vinci, thought big and far. He playfully threw himself into both the present and the future — observing, absorbing and inventing.

What does being lost mean? What does it entail?

“Why do lovely faces haunt us so? Do extraordinary flowers have evil roots?” — Henry Miller

Follow the yellow brick road! Dorothy gets lost into the colorful, strange and magical world of Oz, all in order to find truth, friendship, and ultimately, herself. From MGM’s musical feature based on L. Frank Baum‘s book, The Wizard of Oz.

Being lost encapsulates the idea of giving in to the world, to accept that often dreaded feeling of vulnerability. Only by letting go and being open to the unknown can we see with “different eyes” and be able do something out of the ordinary and out of “habit.” Only then do we stand a chance of finding that which we can not find but are desperately looking for. If something as tangible as house keys are so difficult to locate when you want or need them, how much more futile is it to search for such abstract things as success, love, creativity,  uniqueness or connection? We can only find them when we don’t pursue them. We need to have our arms and minds open to receive rather than to take.

“The wisest person trusts the process without seeking to control.” — Taoist proverb

The best ideas and solutions always come to us when we’re the most relaxed, like when we’re in bed or when we’re out experiencing the world around us. It’s why I keep notepads with me all the time, and all around my house, so that I capture those magical flashes when my consciousness catches up to their discovery. Our brain is not a muscle, but an organ, like the liver or kidneys. And thus, unlike our muscles, it’s unmoved by will or force — thinking harder doesn’t make it stronger or more effective. Rather, it works best when it’s relaxed and ready. Just like animals that have homing instincts, it’s based on a trusted, instinctive automatic system.

Laugh at the bird brain all you want but birds travel thousands of miles and back without technology. Where would you be without your paper maps or GPS navigation system? Birds are probably the freest, most mobile creatures on the planet and that really says something. From Sir David Attenborough’s documentary on the evolution of flight, Conquest of the Skies.

By getting lost, you get to wonder about things aloud and smile regardless of whatever happens next. As writer Rebecca Solnit so wistfully described, there are four kinds of “knowns” in this world: There are “known knowns” (things we know that we know), “known unknowns” (things that we know we don’t know), unknown unknowns (things we don’t know that we don’t know) and finally, “unknown knowns” (things we don’t know that we know — this last one is quite a doozy when you think about it.)

Given that revelation, do we dare to assume that our limited views and interpretation of the world around us are correct? Should we continue to commit so fully to our current path of abstract busyness and mindless pursuit, knowing that so much of what is “out there” is still a mystery, still to be discovered and understood? I believe we need more humility. We need to show more respect for the grand intelligence of the universe.

Jim Henson’s marvelous invention, The Muppets, is a quick reminder of the kind of fun and silliness the can happen if we let it.

When the questions get too deep and hard, whether artistic or personal, we know not where to go or how to proceed. The more we search or battle sometimes, the worst it gets. We fall prey to our surroundings, the noise that emanates from our insecurity or worse, the external pressures that get blanketed on top of us such as advertising and social media — distractions based on abstractions that take us away from ourselves and our joys in witnessing the world around us. We’ve become without a compass; moving constantly, fearful of what’s in front of us and disappointed with what’s already behind us.

The deluded mind is the mind affectively burdened by intellect. Thus, it cannot move without stopping and reflecting upon itself. This obstructs its native fluidity.” — Bruce Lee (likely adapted from the Tao Te Ching)

Bruce Lee was one of the most brilliantly creative, charismatic and dynamic human beings that ever lived. Unfortunately, when he reached his dreams of Hollywood stardom, those mental “abstractions” of fame, fortune and image promptly ended his freedom, happiness and ultimately, his life.

This is why it’s essential to take the moment to escape, to dive into the unknown, not just so we might find solutions to our problems, artistic or otherwise, but that we forget all of society’s noise and pettiness, if even for a short while. The treasures you find in such a journey are the bonus — a surprise that can sometimes turn out to be life changing. At the very least, you find reprieve from a life fully distracted and occupied. It’s refreshing to rediscover the world, and even better to rediscover ourselves, every now and again.

“The practice of awareness says don’t grasp it too tightly, don’t be too convinced. And in that simpler way of being… it’s okay to sometimes experience not knowing what to do next, to run into a barrier… that life has a mysterious quality to it.” — Rebecca Solnit

What is most important (and most interesting) in our lives and thus, in our art, is often the unpredictable; beautiful surprises, revelations and connections that enlighten us and bring us joy. How can we not give in to those possibilities? Why should we continue to strive at striving all the time? Goals aren’t everything. This can take a long, long time to recognize and even longer to absorb.

The Langlois Bridge at Arles with Women Washing by Vincent Van Gogh. This impressionist’s artistry always reminds me of the moment and to give in to it.

“I experience a period of frightening clarity in those moments when nature is so beautiful. I am no longer sure of myself, and the paintings appear as in a dream.” — Vincent Van Gogh

Until you are willing to be lost, you will never discover the “why’s” to your life. Getting lost is so imperatively important because only then do you have the opportunity to permit yourself to get off the path, to take an outside view of it, switching perspectives so that can see whether it’s one that might not be written by you but for you. It’s all too easy to be caught in the wheel from birth and keep at a life of busyness until death. This is a VERY hard thing to realize, and sometimes even when you do, it takes a Herculean amount of courage to get off. But it’s only when you get off the path, can you see where you are and where you’re going, and more importantly, whether you should continue the same or change course. Getting comfortable with getting lost now and then, opens up the chance for you to experience the world anew – to see, hear, touch and feel things for the first time all over again. And it just might help you find what you really need on your creative path.

“… I had observed that the men who were most in life, who were molding life, who were life itself, ate little, slept little, owned little or nothing. They had no illusions about duty, or the perpetuation of their kith and kin, or the preservation of the State. They were interested in truth and in truth alone. They recognized only one kind of activity — creation. Nobody could command their services because they had of their own pledged themselves to give all. They gave gratuitously, because that is the only way to give.” — Henry Miller.