Procrastination

Often times, the "staring into the fire" activities prevent me from starting an art project. I don't literally mean I stare into a fire. These activities usually entail various social media websites, watching television, playing a video game, watching YouTube videos, watching Netflix, etc etc. The mind numbing nature of these activities pulls me into a trap and will prevent me from working on an art project. As far as why I avoid starting an art project, I usually over think whatever the project is, think it will involve an immense amount of work, and decide that the "staring into the fire" activity is the easier activity to do, which it is but it's no where near as productive nor fun. "Staring into the fire" activities are not "fun." They're numbing. They prevent you from feeling and you're essentially locked in a trance. After a long day, there's really nothing better to do than one of these activities. The art projects are productive and fun but requires some work. Overall, the product at the end is much more enjoyable than the "product" at the end of the mind numbing activity. I put the word product in quotes because these activities don't yield any product.
The way I get around this is simply the "suck it up" attitude and I get whatever activity I need to do done. I force myself to start working on whatever the project may be and after a little nudge, I start to enjoy myself and it no longer feels like work. The mentality of the art project being work only seems like it when I think about the project. When I'm actually working on the project, it doesn't feel like work. It's interesting that my mind works that way although I'm sure others think like this as well.

Fear

Let's face it. We all have fear, whether we know it or not. Whether it's fear of failure, fear of criticism, or a fear of being misunderstood, it's all fear. We may not go right out and say, "I'm afraid of failing!" It would probably come out as "This is going to come out awful" and the "this" could be almost anything. Fear plays a major role in our lives and can often times restrict us from doing great things or experiencing great things because we let it control us. 

I'm no different. Sometimes my fear gets the best of me. Over the years, I've realized I have a large fear of doing something "wrong." I'd constantly worry about the perfect way to perform a monologue or perform scenes in a show but there's no "perfect way." There's no such thing as perfection in any field of work and when it comes to art, there is no right and wrong. There's only what is. While preparing for a monologue or for scenes in a show, each time I say the lines, I try to say them in different ways, that way there is no settled "correct" way to say it. If you memorize a way to say something, chances are it would come out stiff and unnatural. As an actor, there's almost nothing worse than that. While on stage, I try to place essentially all my attention on my scene partner. That way, I'm not thinking about "Did I say that right? Does my arm look weird? Did my voice just crack?" and a bunch of other distracting thoughts that have no use in the scene. I've been improving this habit over the years but I'm not entirely sure if it will go away completely. I guess I'll find that out. 

Always remember, "there's nothing to fear but fear itself," just like FDR said. 

The Art of Collecting Lightbulbs

Before reading this chapter, I did not think that having a collection could be considered art. It never struck me as a form of art. But art, "for some is making, for other it is having." Immediately after reading this chapter, I started to think if there was anything I collected. The first thing that came into my mind was snow globes. I love collecting snow globes. Any time a family member, distant relative, or friend goes somewhere I have not, been I always ask them to pick up a snow globe for me. Right now, I have over 45 snow globes. I don't think that I would be a "snow globe enthusiast" as Hugh Francis Hicks was with lightbulbs, and I certainly don't think I would go and steal snow globes as he stole light bulbs. Before this chapter, it was a simple hobby, but calling it an art brings a different light to it. Maybe it's not really art. I'm not putting them on public display, at least not now. Who knows what the future might bring?

The Art of Making Art Without Lifting a Finger

This chapter brings a very question important to my attention and to all that read it. What is art and what should we consider art? It's a coincidence that I read this chapter shortly after STAC discussed if Pollock should be considered an artist. Art doesn't necessarily need to have a particular meaning behind it but there should be some meaning behind it or a specific intention by the artist. Ray Johnson's constant love, for the lack of a better word, of the number 13 most likely has a meaning behind it. It's not known to us, his friends, and maybe not even to himself. We won't find out now because he's no longer living but chances are if asked why he loved the number 13 so much, he could justify it. A lot of the process of considering what is art is the artist being able to justify it being a work of art. If you can justify it, then perhaps it is art. Sometimes even a work justified as art may not be a work of art. The "process" of what we consider art is very complicated and not set in stone because there are so many different forms of art, it's impossible to create a universal system to call a work art.

The Art of Having a Lofty Perspective

"So how to define the beautiful?" How does one really describe what beauty is? This chapter obviously speaks a lot about beauty, both in life and art. People have attempted to create a rational answer, like the Greeks, but is there really one? Who is to say what is beautiful and what isn't? Beauty is really a social construct. Beauty changes over time and it changes depending on where you are in the world. Society could easily change the meaning of the word beauty. What is beautiful now probably wasn't considered beautiful a hundred years ago. Our version of beauty, as far as fashion goes, leans more on the scandalous side a hundred years ago. As far as beauty in nature goes, it depends on the person and the time. Some aspects of nature are lovely to some and atrocious to others. But then again, who is one to decide what in nature is or is not beautiful?

The Accidental Masterpiece: The Art of Being Artless

One line stuck out to me as I was reading this chapter. "Painting will change your life." I was never really fond of painting. I was always told that I was never much of an artist and that stuck to me in a sense. I never bothered to paint or draw or anything in the fine arts field. But then I was introduced to splatter painting and that changed my life. I had finally understood the joy of fine arts and I was really into it. I wouldn't consider pursuing it but it's a nice hobby. It numbs my mind, I stop thinking. I'm the type of person who constantly thinks and this is the one and only fine art that does that to me.

Bonnard's Life Script