Lesson 7: Gestalt - Something More Than The Sum of the Parts
Longer Term Drawings Are Much More Planned.
So basically drawing is an end product, a process oriented tool and a bi-product. If you look at the lives and the biographies of many of the most treasured artists (particularly of the 20th Century) you will find that drawings are often the most cherished remains contained in the artist's portfolio. (Particularly preparatory drawings.)
You will also often find another seed of surprise contained in the history of art. Artist's drawings usually form a journalistic record of their work and their life. Their work often makes sense in retrospect and not necessarily at the time of execution. Artists are often thought to be 'mad' while they are alive. Or perhaps excentric. Or some other similar convenient label is often placed upon creative individuals. This is not surprising.- If the human race places an enormous value on learning short cuts, on suppressing information and on actually forgetting how to see.
- If the human race values conformity rather than individuality.
- If there are rare individuals who pop up (and continue to pop up) claiming to see things that others simply cannot see -
- then there is a good chance of some sort of societal labelling occurring. (Even if the label is only one of "silly darn nuisance.")
HoweverUpon reflection the madness of Vincent Van Gogh didn't seem quite so mad. Did it?
"Now I understand what you tried to say to me How you suffered for your sanity and how you tried to set them free They would not listen, they did not know how Perhaps they'll listen now."
And the lunacy of Gaugan seemed quite lucid and sane. In retrospect - I suspect?. Read ..."the latest book on gene-based darwinism, where he explains the ... The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins. ... A fictional biography based on the life of Paul Gaugan... ... " and you will find that what seems like lunatic behaviour on the part of artist is often quite coherent from within the framework of the context of their life. This personal history is created from within the construct of the life of an individual who is training him or herself to 'see' in a world that discourages this process.
Now
Salvidor Dali ...that is a different story. He intentionally flirted with insanity."I believe that the moment is near when, by a procedure of active paranoic thought, it will be possible to systematize confusion and contribute to the total discrediting of the world of reality."And the insanity of his paintings is quite beautiful too. I believe. But nonetheless he has flirted with the world of unreality. I believe that aiming to disconnect completely from the structures that keep this world safe.....is dangerous, even if it is for brief moments. And I therefore do not advocate it by any means.
And this brings the dialectic to the crux of the matter.
When we set out to be creative we are making choices.We choose
- our subject matter
- the medium we use
- what evocative symbolism we use
- the environment within which we seek to explore
- our life style
- and the direction which our explorations are allowed to follow.
If you would like to read briefly about how my approach to creativity developed read...
I have chosen therefore to direct my life along the path of recovery by consciously directing my explorations, my subject matter and my lifestyle. (And that is the only point that I am making; that we are perfectly capable of directing where art takes us.
If this begins to sound confusing think of it this way.
- To develop drawing skills the artist must look at the seperate elements of design individually.
- He or she will intentionally develop his or her drawing ability along chosen lines.
- As the ability to see and to manipulate media and to capture impressions develops - a style and a natural happenstance will develop also.
- Once this ability has been sufficiently nurtured the artist can direct the power of creative exploration along any chosen line.
This year for example I have chosen to withdraw into my studio and explore a sea theme.
This will have healing potential for many reasons. The most powerful of which is that I grew up beside the sea, and have retreated to the sea when ever seeking comfort. The theme has been deliberately chosen to take me naturally in the direction I wish to go (spiritual/recovery) and it should I hope take me there with lil' effort on my part. The effort is in the arrangement of the environment and the choice of learning experiences. The lifestyle (coastal living) and the company I choose to keep also effect the art work that will come from this experience. The outcome of the experiment - will be anybodies guess. But the likelihood is that it will be healing in nature.
What I hope you have heard me saying through this short lesson is that intuitive drawings are quick, spontaneous and inspirational in nature. They are explorative and are often accompanied by delighted surprise!
Longer term works though are guided by the artists principles. They are guided by long term goals and aims. And yes dare I say it - they are guided by who the artist wants to become. If as artists we choose to follow the healing path that creative endeavour affords us - then we can move closer to the light and actualise a potential for full and vital living that resides in all of us. Perhaps this style of learning and becoming is not so easily accessible by any other method.
