Artifact 6: Spiritualty and Art

I noticed a theme between the text and the video liked for this class. Before ever reading about this subject I have had similar beliefs about art, but was never able to explain them to myself. I think it makes perfect sense that “there is a vast difference between looking and seeing-a difference which is fundamental to the artist’s experience”(Grey 72). this quote by Ernest Watson in Greys paper is a concept that brings about the ideas presented in the rest of the text. The fact that we have the ability to connect further with an object than just taking it for what it is excites me. This explains the creative process in which people create and analyze art in particular. grey discusses how the eye of flesh, reason, and mystic work together to fully know an art subject. These three eyes are said to  interpret the literal, symbolic, and transcendental realms of the art being discussed. the essay describes the steps that an artistic must take to create a meaningful peace of art. Beginning with a desired subject the artist then deeply looks at the subject and follows the next five steps to create the final piece. The steps are not always known by the artist or even fully used. Grey did mention one fact that is applicable to all artworks explaining that “an art object must be ‘grounded’ in some material form. The lowest ‘root’ chakra corresponds to one’s attachment in the material world”(97). This is interesting to me because I have seen some out of this world artwork, but knowing that the idea or concept is grounded to a earthly idea or subject is enlightening. This gives me a new understanding of spirituality and its direct relation with the creative and mental connections to works of art. In order to except this spiritual concept I first had  to acknowledge that everything has a spirit and has the potential to focused and created upon. I like these examples of how artists creatively make artwork like in the class video, and I think it is inspirational and applicable to many other aspects of life. Using these tools and knowing how to focus on something deeply i feel can be useful in areas as ridiculous as homework. The analogy in Grey’s essay of a group of ideas being a river and the way of focusing on one subject is to pick one and go away from the river is very helpful and easy to imagine the process of creating.

Grey, A. (2001). Art as Spiritual Practice. The Mission of Art (1st ed., pp. 205-233). Boston & London: Shambhala.

REFLECTION:

I think this project and write up explained in great detail the influences that spirituality has on artist. I realized this by a quote from the text that I really like. An artist Grey mentioned that “there is a vast difference between looking and seeing-a difference which is fundamental to the artist’s experience”(Grey 72) I think this opened my eyes to the way that an artist literally feels the art and vision that they want to paint or create in their pieces. By realizing this aspect of spirituality I was also able to address the other course objective of how spirituality is much different than religion. I basically came to believe that spirituality is necessary for religion but that they are separate things and religion is a larger overall subject.

This project deffinitely showed the course ojective of spiritualty as a well spring for creativity when I read and reflected upon greys anology in the text. Grey talked about how if you imagine your ideas a river of creativity and go far away from all of the ideas it will become easy to pick one out and use it. I personally drew alot of worth out of this quote because I think it paints a very solid picture in my head about how spirituality is used in art to create at one’s best level. I used the picture of the staircase leading into the sky as a visual example of how a person feels when experiencing spirituality in the form of art. This picture shows how someone could spiritually leave the earth and possibly think in a new way. I used the art piece of people praying or meditating to shows how spirituality can be incorporated into religions which was one of the writing prompts that we worked on in this unit.

IN THE FUTURE:

I think this project was the most inspirational and thought provoking assignments and I will definitely use my new knowledge about connecting to art spiritually when I create art in the future. I think using this tool of spirituality is more important than people give credit to. I also think I will use this tool to relieve stress when I am in my future career.