The Process Itself
The Creative Process in itself is a work of art.
The Creative Process. We all follow one in everything we do, even those out there who don't feel they are creative. The method in which it plays out is at least a little bit different for everyone. Some are intuitive and impulsive in their approach, others systematic and detailed. Each may be a combination of some or all of these qualities.While one might often find similarities between how each of us follows our artistic path, the steps between Here and There might differ greatly as well. One thing holds form true to everyone when creating though. The process has structure, rigid or loose; it has structure.
There is a Beginning, a Middle and, hopefully, an End; though most of us have also reigned over the demesne of unfinished projects before. That in itself is an ending, just not the one we had initially hoped for.
The concept of the Beginning originates in the Here; it is the birthplace of the initial idea in any work of art. It is birthed in the Now, the Present. The Past might have contributed a seed to the idea but it only supplies the tools to inseminate that initial inspiration not the creation itself. It is Here that it becomes a child of imagination moving towards birth in shared reality. The Future is the There, the realm where your thought child has grown, learned and matured. There can be seen the result of that idea, that seed, as if you have seen a physical child grow to adulthood in the time it took to execute that initial idea.
The Middle is where the bulk of the work lies but it should not be viewed as tedious or the process of creating will bog down and sometimes stop before you have taken it to the There. The key is to keep the excitement going.
In my case, I plot loosely but see where the writing takes me as I form my idea into words and prose. This keeps things exciting for me. I know where the characters are going but not exactly how they are going to get there. I begin to anticipate where my intuition will take me as I am writing. That part of the process is like raising a toddler and younger child. Initially, you are directing their advancement as much as possible, teaching them about their existence. Yet, at some point as they develop, your ideas form their own identity, become truly a life of their own. It may follow choices you had not originally considered at least consciously. They begin to make decisions without that conscious guidance. That is when I let them go a little more and let the divine winds of inspiration and the collective creative consciousness do their thing.
I may share what I am doing with others. When I do that, it is like stepping out and having someone else babysit your child for a brief moment for the first time. I attempt to loosen the reins a little and let my art takes its own course. There have been times, I have looked down at the paper on the desk or up suddenly at the screen and been shocked to find that I had just written a handful of pages and not even realized it.
Eventually, your child becomes an adult, your idea birthed and grown into a result. It is then, that you will get There. That is the time that you should let your child go and wander out further into the world. Like a parent, you will always feel a responsibility to the creation you have brought into being but there comes a time to let it go.
It can be a hard thing, a really hard thing. Perhaps, you don't feel it is ready. When, often, in truth it is you who is not ready. You fear it will not stand on its own. Often, you may wish to keep it for yourself, if it has deep meaning to you. /you might not want to let it go. You want a reminder of what you have accomplished.
Great ideas and creations should be shared though.
Like a child entering the world outside its parents home, your creation must be free to make its own way, be criticized or praised. At that point, you are no longer in charge but you can still watch proudly as your child steps forth.
I recommend that everyone, especially creators who have difficulty letting go of their work, participate in something that involves disposable art. A few years back, I was invited to and participated in my first street art festival in my hometown. I was part of a group of individuals using pastel chalk to do works of art on the pavement of the downtown area. I knew that whatever I crafted would not stand the test of time. That wind and wear and water would erase it after my work of art was complete. I debated whether I could do that and even after acceping the invitation, I still did not know if I could do it. I spent three days on my hands and knees in the blazing sun in the middle of summer and I wept when I finished because I knew it was only as temporary thing.
Yet, as I looked down upon the fruition of my work, I knew I was There.
I had reached the point where the idea had been born, and grown and matured until it was its own thing not just a feeling or a vision in my head. I realized then that it was the act of taking an idea and forming it into existence that inspired me. That was what really did it for me. Sure, there was immense satisfaction in finishing the work and experiencing the end result but that wasn't everything for me.
It was the Creative Process that really stirred my juices, made me want to give birth and raise a new idea to release out into the world. I realized that going from Here to There, the journey itself was what thrilled me the most. The greatest gift I received by going through my creative process was when There, after appreciating it for a moment, then became a new idea, and thus, became Here once more and a new tale lay before me waiting to be told.
So from Here to There to Here again where new inspirations germinate; that is the purpose of the Creative Process for me.
The Creative Process itself is an ever evolving work of art.
The Creative Process in itself is a work of art.
The Creative Process. We all follow one in everything we do, even those out there who don't feel they are creative. The method in which it plays out is at least a little bit different for everyone. Some are intuitive and impulsive in their approach, others systematic and detailed. Each may be a combination of some or all of these qualities.While one might often find similarities between how each of us follows our artistic path, the steps between Here and There might differ greatly as well. One thing holds form true to everyone when creating though. The process has structure, rigid or loose; it has structure.
There is a Beginning, a Middle and, hopefully, an End; though most of us have also reigned over the demesne of unfinished projects before. That in itself is an ending, just not the one we had initially hoped for.
The concept of the Beginning originates in the Here; it is the birthplace of the initial idea in any work of art. It is birthed in the Now, the Present. The Past might have contributed a seed to the idea but it only supplies the tools to inseminate that initial inspiration not the creation itself. It is Here that it becomes a child of imagination moving towards birth in shared reality. The Future is the There, the realm where your thought child has grown, learned and matured. There can be seen the result of that idea, that seed, as if you have seen a physical child grow to adulthood in the time it took to execute that initial idea.
The Middle is where the bulk of the work lies but it should not be viewed as tedious or the process of creating will bog down and sometimes stop before you have taken it to the There. The key is to keep the excitement going.
In my case, I plot loosely but see where the writing takes me as I form my idea into words and prose. This keeps things exciting for me. I know where the characters are going but not exactly how they are going to get there. I begin to anticipate where my intuition will take me as I am writing. That part of the process is like raising a toddler and younger child. Initially, you are directing their advancement as much as possible, teaching them about their existence. Yet, at some point as they develop, your ideas form their own identity, become truly a life of their own. It may follow choices you had not originally considered at least consciously. They begin to make decisions without that conscious guidance. That is when I let them go a little more and let the divine winds of inspiration and the collective creative consciousness do their thing.
I may share what I am doing with others. When I do that, it is like stepping out and having someone else babysit your child for a brief moment for the first time. I attempt to loosen the reins a little and let my art takes its own course. There have been times, I have looked down at the paper on the desk or up suddenly at the screen and been shocked to find that I had just written a handful of pages and not even realized it.
Eventually, your child becomes an adult, your idea birthed and grown into a result. It is then, that you will get There. That is the time that you should let your child go and wander out further into the world. Like a parent, you will always feel a responsibility to the creation you have brought into being but there comes a time to let it go.
It can be a hard thing, a really hard thing. Perhaps, you don't feel it is ready. When, often, in truth it is you who is not ready. You fear it will not stand on its own. Often, you may wish to keep it for yourself, if it has deep meaning to you. /you might not want to let it go. You want a reminder of what you have accomplished.
Great ideas and creations should be shared though.
Like a child entering the world outside its parents home, your creation must be free to make its own way, be criticized or praised. At that point, you are no longer in charge but you can still watch proudly as your child steps forth.
I recommend that everyone, especially creators who have difficulty letting go of their work, participate in something that involves disposable art. A few years back, I was invited to and participated in my first street art festival in my hometown. I was part of a group of individuals using pastel chalk to do works of art on the pavement of the downtown area. I knew that whatever I crafted would not stand the test of time. That wind and wear and water would erase it after my work of art was complete. I debated whether I could do that and even after acceping the invitation, I still did not know if I could do it. I spent three days on my hands and knees in the blazing sun in the middle of summer and I wept when I finished because I knew it was only as temporary thing.
Yet, as I looked down upon the fruition of my work, I knew I was There.
I had reached the point where the idea had been born, and grown and matured until it was its own thing not just a feeling or a vision in my head. I realized then that it was the act of taking an idea and forming it into existence that inspired me. That was what really did it for me. Sure, there was immense satisfaction in finishing the work and experiencing the end result but that wasn't everything for me.
It was the Creative Process that really stirred my juices, made me want to give birth and raise a new idea to release out into the world. I realized that going from Here to There, the journey itself was what thrilled me the most. The greatest gift I received by going through my creative process was when There, after appreciating it for a moment, then became a new idea, and thus, became Here once more and a new tale lay before me waiting to be told.
So from Here to There to Here again where new inspirations germinate; that is the purpose of the Creative Process for me.
The Creative Process itself is an ever evolving work of art.
RSS Feed