Comments on: Art and solitude http://artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html a multi-disciplinary dialog Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:07:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: June http://artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8124 June Thu, 08 Mar 2007 18:27:56 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8124 When you are burning silk and you have long strewbly hair, it's hard to tell the difference in the smells. Luckily, I don't have to burn silk more than once every couple months. When you are burning silk and you have long strewbly hair, it’s hard to tell the difference in the smells. Luckily, I don’t have to burn silk more than once every couple months.

]]> By: Steve Durbin http://artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8084 Steve Durbin Thu, 08 Mar 2007 13:07:53 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8084 To have your hair on fire once is a misfortune, but to have it recur smacks of carelessness. To have your hair on fire once is a misfortune, but to have it recur smacks of carelessness.

]]> By: June http://artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8056 June Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:37:48 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8056 When I paint, I fall into a zone that's hard to penetrate. It doesn't matter whose around or what's being said (aside from "Your hair is on fire), I am inside the work. This is true in pleine aire work, too, I find. I am often approached by people, but I have a kind of automatic response system that allows me to look polite, but keeps me from actually interacting or interrupting myself. When I'm stitching, however, I am acutely aware of everything and everybody. Not much of a zone there -- it's mostly process. The zone work is done prior to the execution. And I'm lucky to have a partner who understands the glazed look in the eye I turn to him. He generally disappears when he sees that I'm not hearing (except when my hair is on fire). I do need some solitude on a daily basis. And I often get it in the painting studio, which is outside the house. But my need for solitude is different from my immersion in the various artistic processes that I pursue. When I paint, I fall into a zone that’s hard to penetrate. It doesn’t matter whose around or what’s being said (aside from “Your hair is on fire), I am inside the work. This is true in pleine aire work, too, I find. I am often approached by people, but I have a kind of automatic response system that allows me to look polite, but keeps me from actually interacting or interrupting myself.

When I’m stitching, however, I am acutely aware of everything and everybody. Not much of a zone there — it’s mostly process. The zone work is done prior to the execution.

And I’m lucky to have a partner who understands the glazed look in the eye I turn to him. He generally disappears when he sees that I’m not hearing (except when my hair is on fire).

I do need some solitude on a daily basis. And I often get it in the painting studio, which is outside the house. But my need for solitude is different from my immersion in the various artistic processes that I pursue.

]]> By: Mark Illingworth http://artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8030 Mark Illingworth Wed, 07 Mar 2007 19:10:25 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8030 Yes for me the social interaction is helpful in contributing to what I do during solitary time (painting art) and vice versa; in that my solitary inward reflections and outward artistic process keep me balanced. I'd not be in good mental shape if I had too much of either. The idea of potters collaboratively doing their firing does sound fun though. Maybe I should get some artists together all painting to the same music.... Yes for me the social interaction is helpful in contributing to what I do during solitary time (painting art) and vice versa; in that my solitary inward reflections and outward artistic process keep me balanced. I’d not be in good mental shape if I had too much of either.

The idea of potters collaboratively doing their firing does sound fun though. Maybe I should get some artists together all painting to the same music….

]]> By: Steve Durbin http://artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8014 Steve Durbin Wed, 07 Mar 2007 14:22:09 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8014 I was talking to a potter the other day and learned about quite a different style of working. Because he requires long firings (five days or so) in wood-fired kilns, he gets together with several other potters doing similar work when they are at that stage. They then set up the kiln together and keep it going in a very collaborative way. How the kiln is handled influences, of course, all of their work. It sounds like they have a great time. I was talking to a potter the other day and learned about quite a different style of working. Because he requires long firings (five days or so) in wood-fired kilns, he gets together with several other potters doing similar work when they are at that stage. They then set up the kiln together and keep it going in a very collaborative way. How the kiln is handled influences, of course, all of their work. It sounds like they have a great time.

]]> By: Steve Durbin http://artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8013 Steve Durbin Wed, 07 Mar 2007 14:15:24 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8013 Mark, That's interesting about the difference in approach between your two art forms. Maybe that solitary time painting is enough to satisfy the need many people have expressed. Mark,
That’s interesting about the difference in approach between your two art forms. Maybe that solitary time painting is enough to satisfy the need many people have expressed.

]]> By: Mark Illingworth http://artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8011 Mark Illingworth Wed, 07 Mar 2007 14:08:07 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/03/art-and-solitude.html#comment-8011 Steve Sorry for the absence, have been er....in solitude, painting. I go off sometimes, you know how it is. So in answer to your question, I disappear into my meditation hut - it's not a man and cave thing, it's my detched garage that is my studio. As you know from my art, I surrender to a meditative mind with music, and I do this in isolation, only to emerge as one does in readiness after a meditation. No-one enters the zone, when I'm in it. Any interuption totally jolts me, so my quiet part of the world helps. When I'm not working, my studio is closed, yet my mind or portable workplace, is still visualising in between sessions - what I call the non-formal meditation time - practicing what I do whilst I go about the rest of my daily rountine (the non-painting bit)! So, in a sense I always have a sense of solitude in one part of my mind even when not actually painting. My thoughts and work develop in isolation. My photography is a totally diferent matter, and in many instances my wife is there with me, and suggesting opportunities or subject matter for art photography. In this case it's an asset to integrate the social aspect and have fun in the process. I try and transform everywhere we go into time to do my photography, should suitable material arise. So for me I need to be alone for my painting, but for my photography I prefer not to be alone. Steve

Sorry for the absence, have been er….in solitude, painting. I go off sometimes, you know how it is.

So in answer to your question, I disappear into my meditation hut - it’s not a man and cave thing, it’s my detched garage that is my studio. As you know from my art, I surrender to a meditative mind with music, and I do this in isolation, only to emerge as one does in readiness after a meditation. No-one enters the zone, when I’m in it. Any interuption totally jolts me, so my quiet part of the world helps.

When I’m not working, my studio is closed, yet my mind or portable workplace, is still visualising in between sessions - what I call the non-formal meditation time - practicing what I do whilst I go about the rest of my daily rountine (the non-painting bit)! So, in a sense I always have a sense of solitude in one part of my mind even when not actually painting. My thoughts and work develop in isolation.

My photography is a totally diferent matter, and in many instances my wife is there with me, and suggesting opportunities or subject matter for art photography. In this case it’s an asset to integrate the social aspect and have fun in the process. I try and transform everywhere we go into time to do my photography, should suitable material arise.

So for me I need to be alone for my painting, but for my photography I prefer not to be alone.

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