“ Things are because we see them, and what we see, and how we see it, depends on the Art that have influenced us. To look at a thing is very different from seeing a thing. One does not see anything until one sees its beauty. Then, and then only, does it come into existence.”- Oscar Wilde (Grey 71) The fact that the article began with a quote from Oscar Wilde set the tone for the rest of the article. It was almost as a wake up call, in the sense of setting the mind set of how we as individuals go through our daily activities seeing different images but never taking the moment to notice the beauty in all we see. Grey explains this kind of looking, “necessary for survival.” (Grey 71) The only times we stop to look at something much deeper is when something grabs our attention, such as a person, object, or a nearby scene. Deeply seeing allows us to look within ourselves and experience something we might not experience everyday. “ The act of deeply seeing, we transcend the egoic boundaries between the self and the otherness of the world, momentarily merging with the thing seen.” (Grey 72) The whole act of deeply seeing is a moment in which we see something that captures our eyes and turns into inspirations. We then take the inspiration and turn it into something. As mentioned in the article, inspiration is what leads to an artist producing a piece of art. In order to draw, paint, or photograph the artist must be inspired by something in order to produce something that is meaningful to them. Even if someone doesn’t consider himself or herself as a typical artist, we are all artists in some way. Regardless of what someone is passionate about, the passion that we pursue has some back-story, and typically is driven from inspiration. Inspiration can come from anything and anyone, it is that moment that we stop and deeply see what is laid in front of us, and run with it.
Inspiration comes in it’s own unique process. As human we are all different in many ways, and how we are inspired is no exception. “ Inspiration is the most mysterious step in the creative process.” (Grey 81) This idea of inspiration I believe helps contribute in finding one’s spirituality. Finding something that inspires you allows you to look within side yourself and allows you to find peace within yourself. “ Spirit brings vision to the artist via the imagination, the multidimensional media center of our minds.” (Grey 82) In the article Grey discusses that art is a matter of inspiration that an artist achieves through a vision of spirit. While this mainly focuses on the painting, there are many forms in which a individual can express their inspiration and find that spirit within themselves.
The Oscar Wilde quote you highlighted in your discussion reminds me of an interview I saw with comedian Louis C. K. He mentioned in his interview that the way technology has permeated our culture has limited our ability to feel emotions to their fullest extent. Wilde and Grey both focus on the fact that we pass up on a lot of the earth’s beauty because we don’t allow ourselves to appreciate its beauty. Louis C. K. has a very similar belief regarding emotions. He tells a story of driving in his car and becoming overwhelmed with sadness. He said it was not anything in particular that caused his sadness, but he felt defeated and depressed. His first instinct was to grab his smartphone and get the immediate gratification of texting someone or checking his social media apps, but he stopped himself. Instead, he pulled over and allowed himself to cry. He described the experience as beautiful because he gave himself a chance to see the world and the way he interacts with it in different light. I equate Grey’s act of “deeply seeing” (72), to Louis C. K.’s act of deeply feeling.
Hi, Jessica
I believe “make special” is what you bring up in the observing or “deeply seeing” process. Once people attach different meanings to people, ordinary objects or scenes, it will lead “deeply seeing” process. Moreover, the “deeply seeing” process sometimes will create the inspiration. Moreover, Grey said that “Inspiration is the most mysterious step in the creative process” (81). Once inspiration comes to artists, they will either start their new works or record the inspiration since the inspiration is a fleeting idea and hard to catch it. For example, Ann Hamilton is an artist mentioned in Art 21, she got an idea of taking photos from her mouths. She mentioned it is impolite that to open mouth in the public, but she still take people of views and peoples for her works. I believe that it is because artists just cannot stop their inspiration of creativities. Meanwhile, she mentions it is just like looking into someone’s soul since the shape of mouth is like people’s eyes and the photos is like the reflection in people’s eyes. The inspiration is the start of artists’ life and work; it represents one way to express artists themselves with their value, thoughts, cultures, and spirits.
This article is very interesting and there are many idea that I can agree with and some idea I did not think before. You said that, “The whole act of deeply seeing is a moment in which we see something that captures our eyes and turns into inspirations.” Inspirations come very quick into our mind. When we see something or when we do another things, a special mind suddenly come into our mind, and then we will feel very amazing about this thought. Another idea I feel very good is what you said, “Even if someone does not consider himself or herself as a typical artist, we are all artists in some way.” When people took a picture or drew a painting, they became artists and tried to make it beauty. Sometimes when we suddenly see a very beautiful thing or scene, we want to take a picture for it and try to catch the inspiration. Inspiration is very important for people to do something, also inspiration could not only be a image, but it can also be a word or sentence. Sometimes when people try to get an answer about a very important question, they did not find first, but sometime later, when they do something else, they get the answer or find a very important reflection of life. However, I have a question. What or how can we do to get the inspiration if we really need it?
Your question of what or how we can get the inspiration we really need, is a hard to provide one definite answer. We as individuals have different ways in which we are inspired by, that’s what makes inspiration such a beautiful thing because it varies with everyone. The same object might inspire two people in two completely ways. It is truly in the eye of the beholder. I can’t say what and how are ways to get inspired. I believe that you will just know at the moment when something inspires you, it not something that you can always be actively looking for it is something that will be put in your path when you truly are in need for inspiration. It can be the smallest object or action of an individual that can inspire you. I also believe that is also has to do with culture and someone’s life experiences that aids in what inspires an individual.
You mention that even if we don’t consider ourselves artists we are still artists in some way. I feel like this is so true in every aspect of life and that this is the underlying message of what this article is trying to portray. In fact the very opening quote summarizes this by saying, “things are because we see them, and what we see and how we see it”(71). Before I got into college and started looking at art I viewed it as just a meaningless object. But what I didn’t realize was that anything that I’m passionate about could be art, and would therefore make me an artist. For example, when I look at a basketball court I see myself, I see competition, I see myself practicing my craft. This is what i’m passionate about, this was my art. It gives me an aesthetic reaction every time I step on the court and play. It’s how I express myself. My view of basketball is what Grey refers to as “seeing” and which ultimately shows that we are all artists just in different ways.