Sunday, February 28, 2010

The mind's eye wears many sunglasses

The studious nature of the creative mind can surprise the average person. Yes, we are not average, that’s what makes us individuals and artists. I have been talking with friends and family and have come to the conclusion that I am crazy. Not clinically insane, just crazy. Defining studious tendencies can take many different forms; the most dominant in my eyes is the inability to shut off the creative switch in our brains, which coincidentally enough is tied to the power switch. No matter what’s happening in our lives or where we are, at least from my experiences, we cannot stop the urge to create. Perfect example: recently there was a social gathering at one of my friends’ house, there were cans and bottles of many different designs sitting empty on a table. I observed a buddy of mine looking intensely at this table with what was essentially garbage that was ultimately headed for the recycle bin. He sat there for a few minutes staring at these cans and bottles until finally he rose from his seat and began walking to the table. He then started stacking the cans and bottles in a way that made them look less like garbage and more like a composition. Resourceful and creative, the artists mind is something that not many average people can understand. That’s not to say there is an elitism or exclusivity happening in our society. Far from that, we are all capable of being creative; every one of us on this planet, but there is a group that can’t turn it off. I guess that’s the reason we keep a sketchbook, or journal, or camera, some sort of form that allows us our outlet wherever we go. So being studious doesn’t necessarily mean being in a certain place for a certain amount of time doing a set amount of work. To me it means being prepared for that time when you do find yourself in a place that allows you to create. Crazy? Perhaps, but it’s totally acceptable and should be embraced.


what happens when you give
a bunch of students a paint brush and
a few gallons of paint in a skate park?

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