Catalysts

It dawned on me today (while it is probably obvious to everyone else) that I rarely (if ever) have an original creative thought. As far as art work goes, I’m a responder and re-actor.

I see, hear, taste, read, smell, and feel things, and these act as catalysts for the things I make. Most often there is no direct line between the catalyst and the product of my responses. While I apparently am devoid of original thoughts I think my responses and reactions are unique and original to me. So that suits me fine.

One of my favorite questions to other artists is “where did that come from?” I don’t think I ever ask “what does it mean?” because I think we’re all responsible for finding our own meanings in most everything, even though we’re often conditioned to the opposite extreme. But I like to know what inspires(d) a person, I like to know what they think and what they feel. Sometimes this is extremely difficult for someone to articulate honestly or directly. Even someone like me that is fond of words find them weak or limiting at times when trying to describe feeling. Some things are just too big (or small) to write or talk about. If you ask me to explain my inspiration, a lot of times you get a shrug of the shoulders and some mumbled variant of “I’m not really sure…”. This is not because I don’t want to communicate, but because truthfully, I’m not really sure. Then there are the rare occasions when I am very certain and specific and talk or write about it at length. I suspect people might find that extreme a bit tedious.

Anyways…

My favorite things that I make, and read and view, tend to be the ones that transcend words. I mean I really like full-on, un-inhibited, raw and unfiltered, here-it-is-for-what-it’s-worth essential expression. Sometimes these expressions can be lean, spare and clean, almost empty, and sometimes chaotically cluttered and almost indecipherable. But what speaks to me (and I believe to many others) is when somebody creates something honest and truthful, stripped of any artifice or guile. (while I know it is contradictory I include writing as one of these areas of expression, even though words are involved. Good writing can easily transcend the words used to create the piece.)

Everything I make creatively is inspired by something else. A piece of text will give me a sense of color, color might spark the need to create a shape, the curve of a line might lead to a poem, all of it can lead to music and vice-versa. I am a sponge; I absorb information, process it, and create something from it. It can be instantaneous, or take years to bubble up. But I’m fairly certain I make nothing out of thin air. I require a catalyst.

I have a theory that most everyone is an artist, whether or not they’d define themselves that way. I mean almost everybody makes something- maybe it’s more correct to say that everyone is a maker. Books, paintings, sculpture, collages, cakes, drawing, supper, knitting, drinks, shoes, gardens, clothes, collections…your self…everyone is making something all the time. So how do YOU start? Blank slate with clear vision? Or amidst a clutter and jumble, assembling parts and pieces until something takes shape? Neither? Both? Do you construct, or destruct? Is new and original important, or are variations on a theme equally valid?

Inquiring minds want to know. There’s lessons to be learned.

Have a great day!