For Art Making, Process is Everything:
For art making, process is everything. Not just the process of making paintings, photos, performances (color mixing, camera knowledge, writing etc.)—those processes are important and can be learned—surely you cannot draw without knowing how to sharpen a pencil. But more importantly and less talked about is the process of getting out of the way of creative energy.
Creative energy is like a parked train on a hill. The train can sit still with the brakes on and will stay still for years if you leave it alone. But occasionally, the brake gets bumped and will release; like the feeling you might get leaving a great movie or concert. Most of those moments come and we quickly put the brake back on, and go on with life, not allowing the creativity to move forward. But every now and then, you may let the brake go and the train will start to roll. Two problems arise at these moments. The first problem is fear. We are scared of what will happen as the train rolls forward, generally this is the fear of failing to achieve unrealistic expectations in the creative pursuit. The second problem that arises is a general ignorance of all of the obstacles on the track, more on this later.
We are scared of a runaway train (creative energy). What will happen if we allow this thing to roll? It might get messy. Often, though, there are things that we leave on the track; excuses for sure, are barriers to that train reaching its destination safely, “I don’t have time,” “I can’t afford materials,” “I’m too busy.” But some of the things that stop the momentum are unconscious. So many creatives tell themselves lies about their ability to achieve a goal (if we can articulate that goal) and what success actually looks like. Things like a false idea of how others achieve and the comparison of that achievement to where we find ourselves are often playing, on a loop, in the background as assumptions.
Do you know that inspiration is a myth? Most people perceive “inspiration” as a thing that magically appears and demands action or it will be forever gone. The moment that you leave that amazing show and the metaphorical train-brake is bumped loose is a moment of being inspired, or maybe more accurately, a feeling of excitement about human potential and your role in that meta-narrative. Ideas come on a whim and should be captured as a discipline, but I digress.
That feeling of urgency, though, is not inspiration. The myth of inspiration having to be captured is simply not true. Inspiration is a process that very rarely comes out of nowhere. Most often inspiration is something that is created. This is a “life hack” that is rarely talked about. I wonder if that is because we prefer mythology to real practice.
The truth of the matter is that, if we as creative individuals want to allow the train to roll when the brake is bumped free, we need to do the work of clearing the track ahead of time. Maintain the track, check on it and be sure that the crossings work and that they are not congested; that warning signals are in place where the cross roads are. We need to know that we can get to the destination (finished, satisfying work) safely.
Imagine what it would feel like to have all of that work done *before* the train begins to move!
In my experience, it doesn’t require any special skill or innate talent that is beyond any of us to do this work. It only requires forethought & time to get the blocks removed and signals in place. This work isn’t complex, but the ability to consistently show up is not easy.
Simply put: inspiration comes from discipline.
This is a truth that you can trust and will always pay dividends: discipline (showing up) = inspiration (work that will surprise you). The more time you spend making a space for creativity, both physically and mentally, the more inspiration you bank up for the time you are in your creative space. The reality is, the more you are there, the more chances (even just statistically speaking) inspiration has to meet you. It is a process of healthy habit forming.
It’s like a relationship that just needs a bit of attention. But unlike a relationship with another person, you have complete control of the results. All you need to do is see your inspiration as a lover that needs courting. And courting your inspiration is as easy as giving it time. It’s also important to mention that I used the idea of a loving relationship. An affection for your creativity and process are so important. It does no good to only have an affection for a yet-to-be-created, end result that is perfect. It makes more sense to treat our creative side as a part of us that deserves love in the form of attention & guidance & practice. And like all good relationships, this relationship will grow and surprise you.
For art making, process (not talent or means of production or inspiration) is everything.
