âOur job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.â â Steven Pressfield, > The War of Art
In a Space Out of Time
The concept of an artist is a bit tricky to ascertain.
Most artists appear to stumble forward in their endeavors.
Some are often perceived as vain narcissists.
Those fueled by the desire for fame seem to quickly burn bright and fade out.
While those of contemporary acclaim are regularly scoffed at by their peers.
Most of the known greats did not become fully appreciated by the masses until after their deaths; including, but not limited to:
It may not be a farfetched thought to consider the artist an under-appreciated and noble occupation.
They take the time to consider the unconsidered.
An Artistâs Role Among Waves
These individuals wade the waters of emotional polarization; embracing the waves of positive and negative energy.
This is not because they are inherently broken individuals.
Rather, they are courageous enough to stand at the edge of the human experience, look over the edge, and return to share what was found through their art.
âI want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge, you see all kinds of things you canât see from the center.â â Kurt Vonnegut, Player Piano
This is not to say that artists should be shamed in society in correspondence to their difference to it.
Although, save your pity. Artists knowingly and enthusiastically dance to the unique beat of their drum.
Keepers of the Gates
The trouble that some run into with the concept of being an artist, is the process of becoming an âartistâ.
One must realize, one does not become an artist. One simply _is an artist._
The point is not to say that the act of creating art is simple, or that anyone can do it.
No one likes the idea of a guy gawking at abstract art with a beer in hand, claiming his 5-year-old can do better.
An artist resides in each of us that must be paid attention and allowed focus.
One does not require a degree in art history to be an artist (although it may be beneficial).
Whether or not an individual is an artist is solely dependent on whether or not they allow themselves to be.
Donât be your gatekeeper!
Itâs a misconception that works of art must be created by individuals highly trained and adept in a specific skill set.
This notion has been known to ruffle feathers.
âCreating art is not as elevated a thing as many people guess, but certainly it is a useful and kind thing to do, especially if it brings people together and arouses kind feelings in themâ -Leo Tolstoy
What Makes a Creative Master?
One may argue that, perhaps itâs not the 10,000 hours that transform an amateur into a professional.
It could be further deduced that rote memorization and repetition over critical thought may not be an equilateral approach to engaging in creative acts.
In artistic endeavors, sometimes, a push works just as well as a leapâŚ
A number of the worldâs most renowned artists found their stride while acting on a subconscious need to create in the face of lifeâs trials; including, but not limited to:
Keanu is a treasure. No need to fight about it. đ
What if itâs just the simple act of taking that first step, that makes you an artist?
These 3 factors appear to be the connecting thread among masterful work:
- A conscious relinquishment of fear with a pure intention to create.
- Attempt with full acceptance of failure as a potentiality, and trust that failure is only a path to positive iteration.
- Complete acceptance and belief of the goal already accomplished.
Allow yourself to focus on the above and your mastery will begin to reveal itself.
âThere is no other domain where the words of our language are so misused as in the criticism of art, especially of false artâ - Leo Tolstoy
Critical Thoughts
Criticism of an artist or a piece of art generally stems from a lack of understanding in regards to the message the artist is attempting to convey.
A mediocre mind may be quick to place blame on the viewer for, perhaps, not understanding the minutiae involved in the 15th-century styling of brush strokes. Woe be unto the ignorant.
An elevated mind would understand, masterful art conveys a message or emotion with the subtlest of force. Doing so in such a manner that any individual who reflects upon said artwork would understand the conveyed message at a root level; within their subconscious.
This being the case, it could be argued that âWhat is good art?â and âWhom would be a good consumer of art?â are questions of irrelevance. As beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.
Whereas, false art is simply recognized as art lacking in authenticity.
An artist creates and conveys a wave of emotion.
The beholder receives and feels that wave.
That is all.
âA work of art makes a great impression on us only when it gives us something which, even with all the efforts our intellect, we cannot understand completelyâ - Arthur Schopenhauer
What You Choose to Lend Focus to, Shapes Your Reality
Manifesting Creativity
Now that we understand that each of us has an artist dwelling within, how does one embark on creating artwork that conveys a message to the viewerâs root level consciousness?
The proper way to approach this is to understand that creativity is not born of the knowledge one has accumulated throughout their life.
Rather, creativity is born of the reality you presently create for yourself.
Yes, knowledge is necessary when it comes to deriving an artistic theme or message.
However, your surroundings are at the cause of creative inspiration, which turns knowledge into art.
Can you take responsibility and ownership over that which you surround yourself with?
The people you engage with, the things you watch and read, the music you listen to, the food you eat and the water you drink must all be highly considered and regimented.
Your surroundings affect your senses.
Your senses affect your perception.
Your perception is your realityâŚ
It then follows that, if one controls their sensory inputs with pure intent and focus, one may have a paradigm-shifting effect on their reality.
Everything you sense is a wave, culminating in the grand wave of reality.
Creativity and the Senses
We have ~6 sensory functions within our body. Each of these functions, and what it is that you subject them to, have grand effects on Oneâs creative inspiration.
Another way to think about your senses is to consider them, simply, as wave receptors and transmitters.
Visual Cortex
The sense of sight is the brainâs way of deciphering light waves via the visual cortex.
What is it that you allow your eyes to view?
Which light waves do your eyes come in contact with most?
While those seem like innocuous questions, the study of color psychology analyzes how color affects the perceptions of the mind.
For example, it is commonly understood that blue light induces relaxation.
As an example, Glasgow, Scotland installed blue streetlights attempting to curb suicide rates.
Be mindful of what you do and do not view with your eyes.
Be at the cause in what your eyes are viewing.
Auditory Cortex
The sense of hearing is the brainâs way of deciphering sound per acoustic waves within the auditory cortex.
The frequencies of these sound waves, caught by your ears, have profound effects on the mind.
Applications such as Binaural Beats are fairly mainstream these days.
Binaural beats leverage sound frequencies to induce varying states of consciousness.
Focus, and calming frequencies are the most popular.
Hereâs a playlist I listen to frequently to induce states of hyper focus:
Iâm also a fan of this 432hz piano playlist for calming vibes:
Olfactory Cortex
The sense of smell is the brainâs way of deciphering odor per aroma waves via the olfactory cortex.
The practice of Aroma Therapy may be scoffed at by the mainstream.
However, the science of Aromachology is used almost everywhere by businesses to attract customers.
Think about popcorn at the movies and funnel cakes at the fair.
Employing tools such as diffusing essential oils or lighting inscense can have subtle, yet grand, effects on your psyche; allowing you to mentally travel to specific place and time.
Gustatory Cortex
The sense of taste is the brainâs way of deciphering flavor based on waves of enzymes interacting with the gustatory cortex.
What we refer to as taste perception is the chemical reaction between the enzymes in our saliva and how they interact with the different flavors among differing tongue receptors.
Sweet and Bitter tastes have shown to be hardwired to the brain to communicate whether or not something is safe to eat.
With this understood, coupled with the knowledge that each taste is relative to the taster, it can be deduced that depending on if your body is in a homeostatic state, your physical and mental tastes will change drastically.
You are what you eat. Physically and mentally.
Somatosensory System / Touch
The sense of touch is the brainâs way of deciphering somatosensory inputs per wave stimulation via the internal and external receptors on the body.
The somatosensory system is a complex system of sensory neurons and neural pathways that respond to changes at the surface or inside the body.
Touch is most representative of the polarity of the wave.
Positive to negative, life to death, and vice versa in a universal loop.
For this sense to function, something must do the touching and something else must be touched.
An energy wave is given and received simultaneously, to provide the perception of touch/feeling.
Vestibular System / Vibration
The sense of vibration is the brainâs way of deciphering the body and mindâs reaction to internal and external vibratory frequencies via the Vestibular system.
These vibratory frequencies operate in waves and can ultimately fuel inspiration and creativity.
Think about that one album you listen to to get you into that mood youâre looking for. This is a prime example of both internal and external vibratory frequencies interacting with your vestibular system.
The music you listen to puts out a vibratory frequency that your body reacts to, like a tuning fork. Those most attuned are able to replicate that vibration internally and project it elsewhere. Like when you sing along to a song.
You can be at the cause of your vibratory field via meditation and chanting.
If youâre curious, I highly recommend Meditative Mind. Their tracks are tuned to precise frequencies for effect.
Conclusion
Artists, poets, and philosophers recognize the spirit of man lies in creativity.
When you understand both aspects of the wave of creation and you see this within yourself you are both life and death (negative and positive) existing simultaneously, centered by the light of your soul.
This is the place where the master artist derives inspiration and creativity.
How we creatively express ourselves says a lot about where we are going in this world.
There is a massive amount of creative potential available at all times.
The more you listen to your still small voice within, the more youâll learn to express the creative powers you have deep and innately within your being.
Creativity is not born of what the mind has that capacity to think.
Creativity is born of what you surround yourself with, easing your soul, and allowing for creative inspiration to flow.
âArt has such an impact on people that many strange things can happen in their souls; mysteries become clearer; opaque things become evident; complicated things become simple; what is probable becomes necessary. A real artist always simplifies.â -Henri Amiel
You already have all the answers.
P.S. Seeing as how these are interesting times, I thought Iâd share a playlist that lifts me to a higher frequency.
I do hope it does the same for you.
