Consider the Process: 1/24
From the journal January 2024:
Stop putting so much emphasis on the idea. The idea doesn’t make or break the art. It is a truth that often goes unnoticed, buried under the weight of expectations and the lofty aspirations of creators. We live in a world enamored with the concept, the notion, the grand design, as if it were the cornerstone of creativity. But I tell you, it is not. It is the process, your process, your unique magic, your creativity—that’s what makes the art.
The idea, while it may sparkle like a firefly on a summer night, is but a fleeting thing. It can flutter about, dazzling you with its potential, whispering sweet promises of brilliance. Yet, when the dust settles, it is not the idea that breathes life into the canvas, nor the page, nor the melody. No, it is the labor, the sweat, the blood and tears that you pour into it. It is the relentless search for truth, the devotion to craft, the willingness to wrestle with the raw material of your existence.
Consider the process. The process is where the magic happens, where the mundane transforms into the extraordinary. It is the sacred ritual of creation, the daily grind of chiseling away at the stone, layer by layer, until something beautiful emerges—a figure, a story, a melody. In that process lies your unique voice, your fingerprints upon the world. It is in the act of making, the act of doing, that art takes shape, not in the mere conception of an idea.
Art is not a blueprint, a schematic, a map that leads you from point A to point B. It is a journey, a winding road that meanders through the landscape of your mind, full of surprises, full of detours, full of moments of revelation. The idea may provide the starting point, but it is the journey that truly matters. It is the stumbles and falls, the unexpected turns, the revelations that arise in the midst of creation that breathe life into your work.
Your creativity is the alchemy that transforms the ordinary into the profound. It is a dance of intuition and intellect, a collision of thought and feeling. It is where the heart meets the hand, where the soul’s longing finds expression. Each brushstroke, each word, each note is imbued with the essence of who you are. It is the messy, chaotic, beautiful process that gives rise to something greater than the sum of its parts.
So, stop putting so much emphasis on the idea. Don’t allow it to overshadow the richness of your experience. Embrace the process, embrace the struggle, embrace the joy and the pain that come with creation. Let your unique magic flow freely, unencumbered by the weight of expectation. For it is in that unearthing, that digging deep into the soil of your creativity, that the true art is born.
Art is not a solitary act; it is a communion with the world, a dialogue with the self. It is a reflection of the human condition, the complexities and contradictions that define us. It transcends the idea and delves into the heart of what it means to be alive. So dedicate yourself to the process, give yourself over to the act of creation, and let your art emerge not from the confines of an idea, but from the depths of your unique experience. That is where the real magic lies.
