“All great art contains at its center contemplation, a dynamic contemplation.” — Susan Sontag, Writer
In the process of becoming an artist, in taking the steps required to create, we must always first start off with the acquisition of knowledge. This often takes on the initial form of discovery of data, or less mechanically speaking, information that is new to us. That’s the first step. But as important as information is, it has no power beyond what it is — mere facts or observations — unless it’s used to become something more.
“To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous.” — Confucius, Philosopher
Acquiring more knowledge, first by looking, then by seeing, we begin to take in the outside and internalize the experience. This is when study and analysis take form. We contemplate about things, first the object/subject itself, and then its relationships with the world around it, including its relationship with us individually. As we do so, we begin to transition from being complete bystanders of life to persons aware of its presence. This forces us to stretch beyond our biases, our prejudices. And as we begin to see truth, we humbly expose our ignorance and accept the possibility of being wrong. This is what art demands of us everyday; a constantly peeling away of a skin that has outlived its usefulness.
“… arrogance was the first obstacle.” — Toni Morrison, Writer
For example, if we can’t draw, paint or animate an elephant, our first step is to check out what an elephant is. What it looks like, how it’s built, and how it moves. We might learn what it eats, where it lives and why it does what it does on a daily basis. We might also choose to dig deeper and study the intricacies of its anatomy, its evolutionary biology and even its historical significance as related to mankind. As we learn more, we begin to understand more and appreciate more its existence, its being. A connection develops between the viewer and the subject, and our minds and our souls become enriched by the process.
The next point in the relationship, after consuming the information and the repeated process of continued discovery and rehearsal, we turn that information into actionable knowledge. Longer term memory forms and we become both more physically and emotionally engaged. We being to duplicate and create. This stage is exciting; it marks the turn from being a mere fan of the craft to being a student of it. It’s a great thing to be a student because a student of “things” is a launching point to being a student of life. Sincere learners are almost always enthusiastic, open-minded and humble — the dissolution of the self almost a necessary precondition for discovering truth. We should always be students of one thing or another.
“Forms give birth to other forms, constantly changing into something else.” — Joan Miró, Artist
As we go further into our studies, we move closer and closer to becoming dutiful practitioners of our craft. With time, we become professionals — dedicated craftsmen who day-in and day-out develop, execute and hone their craft with the goal of precision and excellence. But striving towards this requires yet another transformation: the testing of our creative capacity. We don’t become artists without imagination.
“Information will never replace illumination.” Susan Sontag, Writer
I can not overstate the importance of using imagination especially in the modern age that we live in. With our near constant exposure to photography and live-action video, we’ve become skewed in our seeing. Technology’s interpretation of “reality” is its own and one far too easy to blindly accept as truth. In other words, not only is photographic source material possibly misleading, it limits our imagination when we come to depend on it exclusively. Get too used to swimming in pools and you lose the courage or the desire to swim in the ocean.
As creatives, each day we must strive forward to learn more, both about the world, and perhaps more importantly, about ourselves. We find out that, with experience, the world is far more expansive and complex than we can ever possibly know. The data keeps on coming — this is the spirit of science and the spirit of mankind. Discovery drives us. And in turn, that which exists prompts our imagination, which takes us beyond our current state of understanding to another realm, beyond the self-conscious rational world to that of the dream world, a world of the magical and one of hope. I suspect this is why us artists are here at all — to inspire hope and, to imagine possibilities.
“Against my better nature I’m forced to be optimistic.” — Robert Sapolsky, Neuroscientist