WHAT IS ART?
In essence, art has a lot to do with attaching meaning and significance to something in existence, meaning it’s a process of projection. As the famous proverb goes: ‘Everything is art, and nothing art.’ Although everything can be considered as art, it’s important to recognize the subjectivity of art, as art is strongly linked to species, culture and era. As a fun visualization exercise, try to visualize what art standards will be like 100, 1000 and 10000 years from now.
As art is relative to the person observing it, it’s also important to realize that there are multiple levels of depth from which you can view art. The more you become aware of this fundamental element, the more you realize that art is not per se something that human beings mentally construct with their minds, but rather that true art is simply becoming conscious of the innate, expansive and creative force in life itself.
That being understood, one also has to fundamentally realize that art, just a life, is absolutely subjective. One person may view a dead bird on the sidewalk as just that, a dead bird, while another soul may see the value, beauty and vast inter-correlated depth of the eternal cosmic cycles of birth and death. So very often, the context and the intention with which the artist creates a piece of art is very different from the context in which the art is observed and taken in. It is very rare that spectators and observers of art perceive an artwork the way the artist intended it. The higher the level of consciousness and awareness from which life, art and reality are perceived, the more one is able to remember the Infinite beauty, wonder and perfection in all of it.
THE PURPOSE OF ART
With this in the back of our mind, we can start to state that the ultimate purpose of art is to delight in the mysteries, wonders and awe of infinite creation; to widen our scope of awareness to facets of reality which are infinitely hidden and beautiful. Deeply connecting with our actual vulnerabilities while questioning what touches us with deep emotion, pain and wonder internally, often unleashes our deepest creative forces. Simply put, the purpose of art can be defined as highlighting and encapsulating the essence of facets of reality which we find deeply beautiful, meaningful and important, sharing it with others in order to deeply empower, liberate and enlighten them.
THE PROCESS OF CREATING ART
Creating art almost exactly mirrors playing God yourself. It feels like tapping into the most profound mysteries of Infinite Creation and extracting the purest forms of beauty from it. As we are the substance from which the art is founded, the art also creates, forms and shapes our perceptions and intentions, and thus our life. Remember to recognize how life is a constant perpetual creative flow, as every moment is created, over and over again, with the infinite power of Source’s, and thus our, free will at the very core of it.
Out of formlessness, form arises, and every creative decision holds the innate creative potential to change Universes. The question is, are we proactively creating or blindly reacting? The creative force truly is at the heart of evolution, and the intelligence we ascribe to ourselves is only a fractal grain of sand compared with the eternal, omnisentient and omnipresent power of the one Infinite Intelligence. We can thus start to state that the purpose of art is to deeply tap into that Infinite Intelligence and playfully create within its wondrous waters; to participate in the eternal expansion of Maya and the transformation of the massive illusionary dream state of reality we all share.
Waking up and realizing you are inseparably linked to this the Force of Creation within ourself and uniquely adding to the process at play in service of the whole is unquestionably one of the most satisfying, meaningful and rewards acts of in human experience - as it offers enlightens the whole while developing a deeply spiritual, vibrant and supernatural connection with Life. Our job as artists is to pedestalize Beauty, to magnify it and to spread it gracefully in service of ourselves, others and the one.
THE Source OF CREATIvity
Emotions’ purpose is to initiate action as most people live life in a pragmatic, reactive and unconscious daze. They are stuck in the engagement with material survival & superficial reproduction. For many of us there is no heart in that; where is the joy, happiness, love in perpetuating that? Art can deeply awaken us internally; enabling us to recognize the cosmic work of art, in both the Macrocosm and the Microcosm of Life.It can remind us of the the Beauty of Life while literally snapping us awake. Also see how the creative process is a spontaneous process, you cannot produce it on will.
You can, however, optimize your environment, train yourself in other ways that help to increase the odds of these connections occurring. One of the ways to increase these odds is by being emotionally moved by lots of stuff, and by studying lots of different stuff. The more stuff you study the more stuff you observe, and the more interconnections you can make; so that ultimately - the creative process becomes a spiritual process. The creation of art by its very nature results in the desire to share it with the whole world. We are programmed to enjoy sharing anything which is beautiful & meaningful to us with other people. That’s why one of the best things you can do in your life is to make your career about sharing the things that you love the most with other people.
THE PROCESS OF VIEWING THE ART
As with anything in society, art is state of consciousness dependant - both in its creation and in the viewing of it. The viewers of art get infused with higher consciousness. Viewing art is the 'lubrication in the engine of humanity'.
An obstacle to artists is to try and maintain the spiritual connection to the art while negating becoming hooked on the approval they get from making the art. Reminding me of the old proverb: ‘Shape culture without letting its boundaries shape you.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT WORK FOR AN ARTIST
Notice how art and personal development are intertwined. The ego and art are Inversely related, as often time the less ego we have, the less obstruction we stumble upon that hinder the spontaneous and creative process. Simply put, the less ego, the more divine our art.
A good starting point is intending to purify all your neuroticism, fears, anxieties, depression, nihilism, chemical addictions, negative thinking, the need of approval, attachments. The more of an open, free and liberated channel, vessel and vehicle you are for the one creative stream, the more your art and creative eye will be super-charged.
Most importantly, enjoy the process. If you’re not having fun, and if it’s not coming from an authentic, relaxed and playful state of mind, something is missing in the bigger picture. Try to be aware not to let the expectations of our society use you as a tool or a puppet, as these can deeply burn you out. When done with the right, loving and conscious intentions, art can become one of the most entertaining, enjoyable and healing medicins, as long as the art is built on the right foundation. At times it can literally feel like traveling time, and when done in harmony, art hits two fundamental pillars of our human existence simultaneously, deep personal transformation and the creation of inspiring art.
Once the highest levels of mastery have been achieved, which is often the highest vision to work towards for an artist, the process of creating art and endlessly inspiring others becomes as effortless as breathing.