Creative Spirituality
The reading, ‘Art as Spiritual Practice’ by Grey well explains the basic elements that form an art and how artists receive spiritual inspiration. Those two topics grab my attention. We have observed some art forms and create reactions. Even though we do not know the exact lines to distinguish art, we used to assume the lines if a form of art impacts on our spiritual system. By seeing the piece of art, numerous thoughts are appeared so that we consider it as an art. Also, we try to interpret the artist’s views on the art without knowing the process. In Grey’s essay, he states one interesting points that “three things are needed for beauty: integritas (wholeness), consonantia (harmony), and claritas (radiance).” The artists discover their subject using those three things. However, Grey defines the artists see only beauty as an art. Those three things are only applied to beauty. In reality, there are numerous forms of art. Without creating an aesthetic reaction, some themes such as sorrow, sad and angry can be included in the category of art. Obviously, I agree with how those three things are important to create beauty, but an art can deliver subjects in forms of narrative, history and situational pictures. We do not just look the historical arts but see them. Those forms of arts also inspire us to think of how our ancestors inherit peace that we can enjoy our lives.
Moreover, all people have inspiration. By seeing or hearing something, we are inspired by some reasons. Grey depicts that “Inspiration is the most mysterious step in the creative process.” I think artists have their unique abilities to get inspired and interpret in different ways. Artists see the world in creative ways so that conveys the inspiration in forms of art. We used to visit artistic museums or meet some landscapes. Some arts cannot be valued at that time but are considered as valuable pieces in later times. In the museum or in front of arts, we can understand what the art is telling but curious how the artists depicts the subjects in a certain way. The process of expressing the inspiration is somewhat mysterious for me.
4 Responses to 'Creative Spirituality'
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on August 8th, 2014 at 1:40 pm
I thought your perspective on the inspiration process for artists was very interesting. While I agree with you as well as the author that the process of inspiration is mysterious, I wanted to call specific attention to the ending sections when you state, “the process of expressing the inspiration is somewhat mysterious for me.” I think that is the exact point the author, Grey, is trying to explain in the chapter Deeply Seeing. Grey discusses the creative process and goes into detail about each step because much of this process is unknown to the viewer. When I am admiring a piece of artwork in a museum or really anywhere, I don’t consider the process so much as I spend most of my time appreciating the final product. Grey describes the inspiration process to be “a flash of one’s own unique solution to the problem.” (Grey, 75). The mystery lying in the inspiration process is due to the individual differences in how each artist becomes inspired, and continues on in the creative process until their work is completed.
on August 10th, 2014 at 4:34 pm
Thanks for your reply. we are sure that artists create their works based on spark inspiration. People have different points of views when approaching to some objects. We do not know how the people communicate with the objects but realize when we appreciate the final works. The unknown process is called as spirituality. Grey states that “Inspiration means access to spirit. Spirit brings the vision to the artist via the imagination, the multidimensional media center of our minds.”(Grey, 85). In terms of the process, all artistic works should be respected. As you stated, most people ignore the process which artists focus on. The final art would inspire audiences to criticize or support the meanings that artists unconsciously put in. Through the class reading, our views on art will be totally changing.
on August 8th, 2014 at 3:57 pm
You talked about several interesting points. You mentioned about artiest impressed by spirituality and then create art works, there is no doubt about this. You also said that beauty is not the only form of art, “In reality, there are numerous forms of art”. When people see an art, not only beauty could move them, the history, the power of anger or sadness could also tough them and create aesthetic reaction. I don’t have any disagreement on this points you made, however, when you saying”artists have their unique abilities to get inspired and interpret in different ways”, it is not very clear. What kind of abilities do you mean? Is there different levels of inspire between artists and viewers? I used to think about this topic, As we know, every artists need to go through long processing of learning art, practicing and exploring. Would they feel inspired in every monument when they doing art or learning art ? Is there rational thinking when the artist see the world and use these thinking to their creation? I have heard one saying “is basically saying that he needed to have hallucinations in order to make an awesome art piece”, this is also what I want to ask you: is the hallucination kind of things are the same meaning of you have said ” unique ways”?
on August 10th, 2014 at 1:32 pm
Hi, dongjoon:
You point out several interesting point and you said “we try to interpret the artist’s views on the art without knowing the process.” Also, you mention the he process of expressing the inspiration. That reminds me Grey’s explanation. Grey claim “Inspiration means access to spirit. Spirit brings the vision to the artist via the imagination, the multidimensional media center of our minds.”(P.82) Every person got an inborn ability of imagination. Inspiration and imagination is two important parts for people getting the spirituality. Grey also stated “spirituality is the most mysterious step in the creative process. The artist is processed by a creative force, overtaken by a vision and driven to create. (P.82) The point of “overtaken by a vision and driven to create” matches what I think. Inspiration comes from people’s imagination. I think this is how the artist gets the spirituality. Actually, every person is an artist but some of us are not good at conveying the imagination.
REFERENCE:
Grey, A. (2001). Art as Spiritual Practice. The Mission of Art (1st ed., pp. 205-233). Boston & London: Shambhala.