Saturday, February 28, 2009

Catharsis


We all feel as if we could explode sometimes. Tensions of daily life rend our emotions, tear us apart. We seek a release when the pressure becomes too great. But explosions are destructive, only leaving messy debris in their wake. How do we unleash our anguish, our anger, our despair in a productive manner? How can we turn these seemingly negative feelings into a force for good? Use that tension as a violinist might use a taut bow-- create something melodious with it, something exquisite and memorable. The sculptor, Henry Moore, once stated, "It is a mistake for a sculptor or a painter to speak or write very often about his job. It releases tension needed for his work." What an interesting observation he made. Artists actually NEED tension! The tension we feel inside should be harnessed as a tool for creation, a way to express inexpressible emotions.

2 comments:

  1. Hmmm...I'm turning over that Henry Moore comment in my head. The current art scene encourages writing with art (blog about your art). I'm finding I like writing. I like writing in the "stream of consciousness style" women tend to write in. I'm finding writing is complementary to art. Since I don't have access to the torch, I'm writing as the release...I have some tension waiting to be realized in beads and jewelry. I'm accomplishing the jewelry, but without my favorite medium for now.

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  2. Ironically, Henry Moore wrote quite often about art and his work. Maybe, in his case, he did lose some of the tension he needed for sculpting. I tend to agree with him, though I also tend to view writing as an alternate form of artistic expression. He was specifically referring to writing about one's job, however. I do not view creating art as a job, so I guess I have nothing to worry about!

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