In one of my readings for this week there is a passage that really sums up the creative process for me and for many other artists I know. The book is "Against Method: Outline of an Anarchistic Theory of Knowledge" by Paul Feyerabend. Though he is talking about philosophy/anarchy the idea completely works for art as well:
It is often taken for granted that a clear and distinct understanding of new ideas precedes, and should precede, their formulation and their institutional expression. (An investigation starts with a problem, says Popper.) First, we have an idea, or a problem, then we act, i.e. either speak, or build, or destroy. Yet this is certainly not the way in which small children develop. They use words, they combine them, they play with them, until they grasp a meaning that has so far been beyond their reach. And the initial playful activity is an essental prerequisite of the final act of understanding. (26)
For me when I am "playing around" in my studio I think of it exactly this way. I am trying to figure things out—many things—and find "a solution." However, a big problem that I think most artists struggle with is, what solution am I looking for? What even is the problem/question? Often in the search we find solutions to questions we didn't even realize we were asking. This is not really a problem though, it's what drives the production of art. Art is invention and if we stick with it, we may have a breakthrough... an apple falling from the tree kinda moment. One thing I feel I am learning here is that dedication and drive are what create successful artists...perseverance (sp?) is key...embracing the inherent constant changes that happen in the search.
Art is the product of this search. Hopefully it can inspire others in their searches.
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