Grass looks greener on the other blogs

I don't know what it is lately, but I've been discovering so many talented and creative people who write blogs. No, I'm not looking for them, but I somehow end up at their sites and drool over their creativity, which seems far superior to mine.

Having been inspired by the originality and genuineness displayed by these sites I've visited, I've made one decision about mine: I will do my best to use my own images for all of my posts from here on out (except, of course, when the post calls for other specific images).

Let's see how that goes...

:-)

Art and Personality

In class, we were introduced to the works of two contemporary glass artists, both amazing and fascinating in their unique styles:

Dale Chihuly

And
Josiah McElheny



In addition to the above images, you can learn more about them here and here.

Although they both work with glass, I am floored by how night-and-day their styles are. We watched the videos of their interviews and listend to their creative process, and I could not help but think about personalities as they relate to art -- not only in the way we create art, but also our preferences in the way we appreciate art.

Please enlighten me if I'm repeating what someone else has already said... but I really think we can know a lot about the unspoken and hidden facets of our personalities through art. Sometimes we are shocked to discover things even in ourselves that we had not realized. Or is it just me? I understand that how we project ourselves outward says a lot about us, but how and what we perceive inward may say even more. In other words, what we take in is just as much an indicator of our personality as what comes out of us as expressions and behaviors. To put it yet another way, perhaps what we choose (or prefer) to receive from the world and people is even more telling than what we choose to give. Whew! I feel like I'm always stumbling over my words trying to describe my thoughts...

One thing that I did newly discover is that although I have some hint of talent (ok. I'll stop denying it and finally admit it), making original art is not where my true talent lies. I am, however, an avid observer and appreciator of art. I passionately love soaking in other people's work, their expressions. I seek to find ways to bring that experience to others who may not get the chance to experience it otherwise. That must be why I enjoy the "making-of" documentaries even more so than seeing the work itself, whether it be 2D, 3D, video, audio, or literary. I love to study the who, what, when, where, and, especially, how and why.

Do you think that's an Introverted trait? More and more lately, I think I'm more of an "I" rather than an "E". Or am I an introverted "E"? Or an "I" who has to think out loud? This preference pair always stumped me. hmm...

Anyway, I wanted to share with you some thoughts from other thinkers about art:

In order correctly to define art, it is necessary, first of all, to cease to consider it as a means to pleasure and to consider it as one of the conditions of human life. Viewing it in this way we cannot fail to observe that art is one of the means of intercourse between man and man. ~ in "What is Art" by Leo Tolstoy.

I'll have to go back and re-read that essay (which I only quickly skimmed about a year ago) more carefully.

Also, after writing this post, I have a renewed appreciation for the following quote that I've always loved because of its depth (although I'm not about to go and read "In Search of Lost Time" anytime soon):

:-)

Our vanity, our passions, our spirit of imitation, our abstract intelligence, our habits have long been at work, and it is the task of art to undo this work of theirs, making us travel back in the direction from which we have come to the depths where what has really existed lies unknown within us. ~ Marcel Proust

Fear of Art?

It's been two weeks since my new "art" semester started, and I am filled with apprehension and fear.

Not having done any sort of sketching in over 25 years (last time was in high school), trying to relax and enjoy this little detour is excruciatingly difficult. When did I pick up this habit of pouring all of my energy into every little thing I do?

When I look at my drawings, I only see flaws... I am so critical of my own work. I fear that I will be found out as a fraud - someone only pretending to be artistic - to match my ongoing fear of being found out that I'm a lousy writer after all.

But in a way, the fear keeps me going. I fear things but I'm also drawn to do what I fear (exploring the unknown, etc.) Besides, what fun would anything be if I knew for certain that I am good at it?

Well, anyway, here are a few things I've done this week:

The next one is my very first digital drawing I did in my computer graphics class. Adobe Illustrator is awesome!

Image of papaya: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Save-on-Sustainable-Gallery-44032808

Slight Detour

So... I've decided to give myself an awesome treat.

I'm putting psychology on hold for one semester and pretending to be an art major. Why? - BECAUSE I CAN!! :)

Believe me, it took a lot-- I mean, A LOT --of self-talk and coaxing to allow myself to take this detour. I am at my best when I'm coming up with ideas and being creative, regardless of the subject. In every single one of my classes thus far, what I enjoyed the most on any project were the creative process and the artistic aspect. Last semester, when I was drawing some bacteria in my lab book, I remembered how much I used to enjoy drawing when I was in high school, and I decided that I will definitely take an art class in the semester coming up.

But have you ever known me to just stick my toes in something? NOT! I have to jump in head first and swim for my life with everything I've got. So while I was revising my academic plan a hundred times before registration, one art class turned into two, and two turned into four. Eventually, I decided to fully explore the right side of my brain and really find out what kind of an artist I am before going back to psychology. Who knows? Maybe I will end up changing my major when I get to the university in the fall. Graphic design sounds like an interesting option.

After the first week of class, here I sit wondering if I am being too indulgent. And also scared...at the possibility of finding out that I have less than impressive creative talent.

I have to keep reminding myself to take a deep breath and be in the moment. As a good friend always tells me, nothing I learn will be wasted, no matter the subject.

Back to (ab)normal

Ahhhhhhh~

That's the sound of my exhaling. The holidays are over, except for the way-too-large-for-the-room fake tree that everyone dreads de-ornamenting (ugh! don't get me started on how much sense this odd annual ritual makes). But the un-doing of the red and green sparkly hell is somehow not as stress-ridden, so I have basically calmed down to a low growl toward the direction of the empty boxes patiently waiting to be filled and banished for another 11 months.

Life is almost back to normal. the normal abnormal.

Onward with 2010! :)

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