@punkacat's post on Artfol
What is art and why are we compelled to do it. I often ask myself this.
I watched a documentary yesterday about a famous Japanese Zen calligraphy master living in America, who has done much for the peace movement.
At one point an interviewer asked him if he ever had art that he threw away because it wasn't up to standard, and his reply was "of course" then they asked why he would consider a piece not up to standard. I expected him to say something like - the form doesn't look good enough or the brush faltered, but that wasn't it.
His reply was if the art didn't have enough of his presence in it.
Take a moment and let that settle in with regards to your own art. Because he wasn't judging his art on aesthetics, or style or colours values, - any of the usual standards with which art is usually judged. He was looking at his art and asking "does this have enough of me in it to touch other people, was I there enough when I made this"
If you are faltering with your art, if you feel confused or hopeless or not good enough, stop.
Your art is your presence put into a medium, that is enough. You are enough.Apr 23, 2024
I watched a documentary yesterday about a famous Japanese Zen calligraphy master living in America, who has done much for the peace movement.
At one point an interviewer asked him if he ever had art that he threw away because it wasn't up to standard, and his reply was "of course" then they asked why he would consider a piece not up to standard. I expected him to say something like - the form doesn't look good enough or the brush faltered, but that wasn't it.
His reply was if the art didn't have enough of his presence in it.
Take a moment and let that settle in with regards to your own art. Because he wasn't judging his art on aesthetics, or style or colours values, - any of the usual standards with which art is usually judged. He was looking at his art and asking "does this have enough of me in it to touch other people, was I there enough when I made this"
If you are faltering with your art, if you feel confused or hopeless or not good enough, stop.
Your art is your presence put into a medium, that is enough. You are enough.Apr 23, 2024
Comments
To add to this, I think sometimes the more passionate or personal I consider art, the harder it is to share because maybe more of me feels too vulnerable. I don’t know how to describe it, but something like that
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