WHY MAKE ART?
I have pondered the question ' "why make art." What is the known or unknown reason why so-called artists feel driven to make something that has no obvious utilitarian use? My conclusion is that the answer lies in the subject of lowering of entropy which Campbell so eloquently exposits in his books. Lowering of entropy has to do with deriving greater understanding or usability from combining simpler organizations of something to form a larger something that can do more or has more benefit that the sum of the two parts. Consciousness appears to be expanded as a result.
As I paint, I organize shapes and colors until something comes into focus. This coming into focus gives me a greater understanding of the seemingly disparate eliments. For me, it is like being in a darkroom developing film. At first there is nothing. Then an image starts emerging into view. I know I am done when, for me, it seems that every element in the work has a significant relationship to everything else in the work. As I go closer in on the canvas, I see smaller and smaller bits of the organization. It is similar, to me, to the fractal nature of this virtual reality we call home: this physical universe.
"Shakti" by Richard Royce (C) 2015
Reference to Thomas Campbell's "My Big Toe" Trillogy
I like how Alan Watts put it, "When God figures out who he is, what is left but to make great art" I see art as a sub-3rd dimensional self expression of The All.
Yes! Whatever that means! I like to think of it that I am the tip of God's paintbrush. It is the tail wagging the dog.
Another thing is that I am grateful for is when the image arrives it teaches me something I didn't think I already knew.
Art is a mystery to me.
nice... i agree. i always realize what i've created long after the music/video/art is finished.
I saw something I had made 40 years ago and It blew me away. At the time I made it I had no idea of the power of it. I guess that is what they mean by "the test of time". another little gem is that if you are truly ahead of your time you can't expect others to understand what you are doing! Van Gogh just shoved the paintings under his bed!
To see more of my work https://fineartamerica.com/artists/richard+royce