On Writing
Wherein the edge of insanity . . .
I have been alone many times in the opinion that an artist should possess, not only the skills to visually represent her message but, the vocabulary to back up the process and the work. The older I get, the less being alone – in anything – scares me. It is my considered opinion that every work of creation is a self-portrait. Whether or not the artist intended it, there IS no method to remove oneself and all the ensuing baggage that accompanies any life from that which we create. It must be easier NOT to realize that, for to do so means having to listen to what the message REALLY is. That can be frightening. For these very reason Art Therapy is becoming a more widely accepted field; we can not keep ourselves out of the mix.
The colors or style of prose we choose say something about our mood, our message, and our personalities. There can never be a definitive or static theory on just WHAT it means, because it is so individual and subjective. Purple does not mean the same thing to you, Precious Reader, as it does to me – or as it did to any other artist in any era. Complicate that by the ‘transition space’ between my word and your brain. The purple I say doesn’t necessarily translate into the same color in your reality. I’m thinking ‘royal’ and you’re receiving ‘lavender’. Nor is the message clear. I’m associating the sheen of velvet and you’re thinking how grandma wears that awful perfume. The more succinct we can make our efforts, the more likelihood that we’ll be able to communicate something meaningful to both of us.
The Same Difference
. . . lies on a blank page.
It matters not whether you are rendering photo-realism or an abstract concept. There must still be a rhythm and flow to any creative work. Even extreme Minimalism provides forms and a backdrop. Items that pique our interest, involve us in what the nature of the message might be, should be sprinkled and peppered and skip across our visionary field. We should be transported out of ourselves long enough to become acquainted with who YOU are. Don’t cheat yourself OR us out of that journey.
When you achieve that perfect paragraph, it will cause you to 
‘feel’ every time you read it. I have paintings (my own and other artists) in which I see something new every time I stare at them. I’m forever hearing words in beloved music that I forgot were there and they make me happy (or sad) all over again. This process is an indescribable joy. Don’t worry if you’re in the middle of the thing and you’re not ‘getting it’, in the psychobabble of the day. Have fun and become as enraptured as you wish your audience. Trust me, you will know when you get there. It’s euphoria.
I see music in a painting; close my eyes and murals appear during my favorite CDs. Sushi is an incredibly, beautiful palette, and the best authors can make words burst with color. So, go dice those pots and paint those Cornish hens; landscape that still life and sculpt the rose bush; and, by the way, you should always sing (and dance) in the kitchen.
Art Meets Science
And Recognizes Itself
Over the 50 odd years of exploring all these ‘hobbies’, it became clearer to me that there is no difference in the creative juices, process or outcome of pursuing any of the arts. That is why it remains so difficult for me to understand why the separate factions are constantly at war with each other. In scientific studies, there are 3 rules for proposing a valid theory: it must be able to be proven repeatedly; it must step aside should new information make it inconsistent; and it must be aesthetically pleasing. Doesn't that just crack you up, that scientific minds want their theories to be 'pretty'.
The Muse who compels us
to solve creative problems and perform any task so that the end product is aesthetically pleasing
is the same in every talent and profession. And we like to be justified in our choices.
There's little worse than buyer's remorse over something you bought or something you made.
The great thing about writing on this machine - we can always take it back!