Life, the universe and everything

A change in season and change in scenery often produces thoughts of a philosophical nature. And when they emerge amidst a spacious atmosphere and can breathe a bit, I find them becoming a tad mystical and big-picture. 

So, surrounded as I am with changing fall foliage and gentle wooded hills, my thoughts turn to contemplating about where does art come from. Am I the origin of it, or a conduit for something larger than myself? Or both? They are not mutually exclusive possibilities. My dives into the murky waters of mystical traditions and quantum theory have left me with the distinct impression that nature, the universe, the dao, the way, the force, what have you, abhors the definitive much the way nature abhors a vacuum. Paradoxes abound. One thing coming into focus inevitably another blurs something else. Nothing stands still long enough to get a good handle on it—quantum particles, artistic inspiration, life, the universe, everything.

If this is the background against which life and art happen, then definitive answers about where it comes from, what’s your inspiration, where do you get your ideas from, aren’t going to be all that forthcoming. Sometimes we can point to a specific instance, a specific moment. But clarity on when and what doesn’t necessarily provide much insight on why or from where. 

Ego, profession, identity, capitalism. All enter into the art making and confuse things even further. When you admit that your art is something larger than yourself, not just yourself or even your self, that you aren’t entirely in control, then these worldly concerns become even more jarring. When looking at these larger questions, contemplating how things work and the limits of knowability, each of these four things becomes something to let go of, obstacles, burdens.

Laying them down is not a simple matter, nor are they entirely bad. Everything in its time and place, right? Ego keeps us from tuning into amorphous blobs. Profession can instill in us a discipline and camaraderie that can make things happen that wouldn’t otherwise. Identity as an artist can help communicate what you do and why to people who might benefit or might not otherwise care. And capitalism…well…maybe that one can be left on the curb with the recycling tonight.

If this line of thinking intrigues you, here a few books you might indulge in. If it infuriates you, well this email is just about done and I thank you for your time.

The Tao of Physics: a classic exploration of how mystical traditions and quantum theory overlap; it gets a bit dense on the physics side of things, but is a good intro especially with the unique framing of ancient wisdom traditions.

Big Magic: after the runaway success of Eat, Pray, Love and the attendant hangover sudden stardom will bring, Elizabeth Gilbert ponders on the nature of creativity and success—or lack thereof.

The Creative Act: a meditative exploration of creativity’s mysteries and demands—emphasis on the the demands. This is definitely in the category of art is hard, baby, stop your whining and get to work.

The Artists Way: probably doesn’t need an intro from me—beyond to say, yep, it’s still around.

The Art Spirit: here’s a quirky old one you may not have heard of. It was written over a hundred years ago, so be warned, the sexist language is a bit jarring. Though it has a fair dose of philosophical musings about art and artists, it quickly gets very specific to painting, and figurative painting at that. I find it intriguing, your mileage my vary.