CREATIVITY IN THE WORK OF ART.

A true creative work of art will make you ask questions, such as: “Why did the artist use this color?”, “Why did the artist put this line here?”, “Is there a message behind this work that the creator is trying to portray?”, “How could this be improved?”, and “If certain elements were removed, would the work of art still give the same impression?”

Sometimes it seems that my life is a formless blur, especially when I lose my focus in a flurry of chaotic busyness, and I’m plagued by a steady stream of necessary yet unenjoyable tasks that don’t seem to get finished, stalling creative projects that would give me a lot more satisfaction…if only I could get to them. This isn’t art; this is a tedious mess! And worse, I’ve lost my flow!

Art for me is soul food. Art-making is meditation in action. It nourishes my craving for beauty, clarity and harmony. By beauty, I mean aesthetics, that is, the beauty of meaning-making, when all the parts come together to create a whole, or when clues are combined to solve a mystery.

It’s about finding elegant solutions to problems we face. It’s the profound simplicity we discover on the other side of complexity, once we’ve dug through our messes.

Art is a creative act, a spiritual journey. It is an expression of the soul. Every artist has something within that calls out to be expressed. There are no rules for answering the needs of the soul.

The artist transcends convention and the result is always beautiful. Philosopher/artist Eric Gill reminds us that “the artist is not a different kind of person, but every person is a different kind of artist.”

Art is an expression of our innate creativity, which is the language of the soul. The ultimate creativity comes from the energy of love and wisdom, which some of us call God, the Source, the Absolute, the Creator or the Divine. The ancient yogis said that all forms of creation—from energy to gross matter—are composed of one substance called the universal creative energy, or Pakritti.

In accordance with the three modes of creation—birth, growth and dissolution—creative energy spontaneously manifests and ultimately dissolves into an unmanifested source, also known as the Absolute.

All creation thus comes from the absolute, and returns to it in a never-ending cycle We are all part of the universal creative energy, and the glue that holds it all together is love and wisdom.

One of the great challenges today is that we often feel untouched by the problems of others and by global issues like climate change, even when we could easily do something to help. We do not feel strongly enough that we are part of a global community, part of a larger we .

Giving people access to data most often leaves them feeling overwhelmed and disconnected, not empowered and poised for action. This is where art can make a difference. Art does not show people what to do, yet engaging with a good work of art can connect you to your senses, body, and mind. It can make the world
felt . And this felt feeling may spur thinking, engagement, and even action.

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People often think of creativity only in terms of painting and drawing, but it can manifest itself in many ways. It is easy and natural for us to create, and just because your Grade Two teacher humiliated you for colouring outside the lines, that does not mean you are uncreative.

Creativity is simply the act of making something new. As children, we may have received little or no positive reinforcement of our creative powers; as adults, then, we are reluctant to give in to our creative urges when they begin to bubble up from within.

One of the biggest blocks to creativity is fear. Fear of making a mistake; of looking foolish, and fear of the unknown. Here is the secret to liberating your creativity: Let the desire to create come from love —love for what you have to offer the world.

When you create out of love, you have room to make mistakes. If you worry about how good you are, you may never begin.
Creativity takes on many forms. It may express itself through gardening, decorating, preparing a meal or business entrepreneurship.

Creativity expresses itself through fresh thinking, seeing things in new ways, and acting on new ideas. Expressing your creativity is living your passion, being and artist in all areas of life and making your whole life a work of art—even your work.

I believe that one of the major responsibilities of artists – and the idea that artists have responsibilities may come as a surprise to some – is to help people not only get to know and understand something with their minds but also to feel it emotionally and physically.

By doing this, art can mitigate the numbing effect created by the glut of information we are faced with today, and motivate people to turn thinking into doing.

However, the impact of art on the individual employee regarding work ethic/motivation, creativity, stress-level and general well-being seems to be greater on women than on men.

While 80% of the male respondents agreed that art has a minor effect on their work ethic/motivation; all of the female respondents agreed that it has some effect on them. Specifically, 54% of women acknowledged that art has a moderate to big effect on their creativity at the office (47% of men) and 80% of the women agreed that art at the office could reduce their stress-levels (66% of the men). Furthermore, 92% of the women stated that art affects their general well-being, compared to 71% of the men.

Today, many companies are sitting on huge cash reserves. Faced with the option of parking the money somewhere and earning next to nothing, or investing in art – which can also add “lustre” to the workplace and perhaps bring some “fame” to the firm – it’s not surprising that buying art at least in part as an investment is an attractive option for some companies.
How good an investment is it?

The consensus answer is “it depends,” especially with art from up-and-coming artists who have not yet established a reputation or sold many pieces. In general, a company buying art from newer artists can expect that most pieces won’t appreciate much if at all, while a few might increase in value significantly if not astronomically.

In the end, quality will prevail.
The potential returns aside, buying art as an investment does present some particular challenges. Unlike investments in equities or start-ups, art doesn’t pay any dividends. It is also somewhat illiquid, even compared to real estate. And finally, commissions and transaction costs can be sizeable.

Engaging with art is not simply a solitary event. The arts and culture represent one of the few areas in our society where people can come together to share an experience even if they see the world in radically different ways.

The important thing is not that we agree about the experience that we share, but that we consider it worthwhile sharing an experience at all. In art and other forms of cultural expression, disagreement is accepted and embraced as an essential ingredient.

In this sense, the community created by arts and culture is potentially a great source of inspiration for politicians and activists who work to transcend the polarising populism and stigmatisation of other people, positions, and worldviews that is sadly so endemic in public discourse today.

I am convinced that by bringing us together to share and discuss, a work of art can make us more tolerant of difference and of one another. The encounter with art – and with others over art – can help us identify with one another, expand our notions of we, and show us that individual engagement in the world has actual consequences.

That’s why I hope that in the future, art will be invited to take part in discussions of social, political, and ecological issues even more than it is currently and that artists will be included when leaders at all levels, from the local to the global, consider solutions to the challenges that face us in the world today.
Images source :google.com