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FAMILIAR Vol 1, Iss 2..............................................................................................................................
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BEHIND
THE SCENES OF AN EMOTION LITERACY E-ZINE MISSION
STATEMENT THE FAMILIAR VOL. 1 ISS. 2. Missed an issue of the familiar? Click here to browse through our entire back-issue archive! |
interview with a conscious processionist: Monday, March 13, 2000 You call yourself an artist of "conscious processionism." What is a conscious processionist, and how does it differ in the art world from, say, an impressionist or a cubist? Webster defines an impressionist as "one who follows the theories of French painting that pictured appearances by strokes of unmixed colors to give the impression of reflected light." The definition for cubist is "an artist whose works featured surfaces of geometrical planes." I suppose you could say that these schools of artistic thought are mostly concerned with the actual form of the artwork, the "style," if you will, the product, and how it supports the emotional reaction of the audience. Conscious processionism is not so much the artwork itself, but the development and the trans-formation that takes place in the artwork, in the artist who creates it, and in the people who experience it. A conscious processionist artist is also concerned about the emotional reaction of the audience, but it doesn't just stop there. I am concerned about how that reaction contributes to my own transformation and that of my audience. For me, it's all in the name. It's being conscious about a process. It's knowing what I'm creating (on the canvas and within myself), why I am creating it, and how it reflects and transforms my Self and the Selves of those who see their own processes in my art. Most impressionist and cubist works were labeled as such after they were created. My intention to create a conscious processionist piece is present from the very beginnings of the creative process because I have to be conscious of my process in order to do so. The great cubists and impressionists created their pieces because they sought new ways to stretch and challenge current techniques in art. A conscious processionist seeks ways in which to stretch and challenge her own consciousness of Self and the Selves of those who make contact with a conscious processionist work. Rebellion against current artistic trends is irrelevant in conscious processionism unless it has something to do with the personal development of the human beings who create and view the art. Even an artist who is labeled an "expressionist" and who is defined by Webster as "an artist who adheres to a genre of German painting that tried to show the subjective responses to scenes rather than the scenes themselves" may never know why he had these subjective responses in the first place, or how they reflect his inner growth as a human being. However, a conscious processionist may look at this same expressionist painting and immediately feel her own subjective responses, recognize them, and understand why they exist. You see, a conscious processionist need not be the creator of the art. She may also be a recipient. This is another important distinction from other art movements. So, if I go to a gallery and see a painting that reminds me of the death of my mother, am I a conscious processionist? Perhaps. But I won't know for sure until you can tell me what you feel when you look at this painting, why you feel this way, and how viewing it has pushed you beyond a comfort zone onto a next conscious level of your evolvement. But perhaps, before you can tell me these things, you must actually feel the emotions that bubble up as you view this painting. Of course, it helps if the artist is also a conscious processionist. What feelings did the artist experience as he painted this piece? Why did he feel this way? What level of evolvement did he reach while he painted the piece? What level of evolvement did he reach when he finished the piece? When he exhibited the piece? One may never know all the details of the artist's entire experience as he knows them, but if there was a conscious process during the creation of the painting, another conscious processionist will feel it. The conscious artist and conscious audience share a common focus and vocabulary. It is conscious communication between artist and audience on a cellular level. Approaching art in this way differs from the usual questions that we ask when we analyze great works, but then, many great works created today are art for art's sake and not for the sake of the artist and the evolution of the consciousness of the community. When you speak of "consciousness," are you implying that artists who are not conscious processionists are unconscious? In some ways, yes. Many artists tell us that they have suffered a great deal during their lives and that creating works of art provides for them a release for the anger, grief, angst, etc. that has built up during their period of strife. But if these artists were asked why they feel these provocative emotions, most may not have a clear consciousness of the real root cause of their struggle. Most may not know why certain events trigger them to feel a familiar anger, an old, old grief, or an original pain. Without this awareness, it's likely that the emotions that must be expressed will be regurgitated onto the canvas without a conscious connection to their origins. This consciousness connection is key if the artist is to fully release these feelings cleanly and completely. Otherwise, the feelings will be released blindly as if cast into a headwind and be blown back to their releaser only to be recycled and expressed over and over again. The loop can only be broken when the releaser is aware or conscious of the origins of these feelings and can fully understand why they are evoked. This is basic theory of modern psychology. This is more like art therapy than an art movement, isn't it? Conscious processionism is the responsibility and the experience of the conscious processionist. A conscious processionist has reached a point of self-knowledge when she begins to create her first conscious processionistic piece. Art therapy may be a stepping stone one takes towards awareness of the Self with the guidance of a therapist, but it is only one way to awaken one's Self to one's process. Ultimately, my becoming aware of my own process is my own responsibility. Conscious processionism is an art movement because it moves us all forward with the art form, challenging old paradigms, breaking up the grand monarchy of unknowingness and inertia. Art is movement and movement is art. Yes, but aren't you reducing art to an intellectual form? On the contrary, I believe I am elevating it to become a vehicle of transformation and awareness. With the dawning of the modern and contemporary movements, the art realm has been sanctioned as the arena to cast off one's ability to intellectualize along with other mental processes. It has become a platform for the heart and the physical response. In a sense, it has perpetuated our tendency to compartmentalize our feelings from our thoughts and memories. It wasn't always like this. When we look back into the grand shadows of pre-modern works, we see an art world that was devoted to the evolution of the awareness of life. Renaissance artists like Michelangelo and Raphael knew the metamorphic power of art, but their focus was on religious transformation, rather than personal and public holistic growth. Let's face it, we are creatures with four bodies: the physical body, the emotional body, the spiritual body, and the mental body. In order to function properly and to realize our fullest potential, we must strike a balance between all of these entities and work toward total integration. Why shouldn't art be a part of this process? I think it's time to think of art more and more as a necessary part of personal growth and of human evolution. Otherwise, it becomes just something we need in which to invest our money or to match our couches. This is the essence of conscious processionism. I've always thought that art was important to the fabric of life here on the planet, but until now, I couldn't put my finger the exact reason why. It sounds as if this more than just a movement. Would you call it a crusade? The Wheel of Life will keep moving no matter what. The wheels within the Wheel are also turning. Some are spiraling up to new heights while others are just spinning in the dust. As a conscious processionist, I am concerned with communicating and presenting material that will sustain this upward rotation. As a conscious processionist, I have a responsibility to present a vision that will contribute to my own growth, which will in turn, contribute to the evolution and the revolution of the planet. For me, the very act of doing this interview is a moment of conscious processionism because it comes during a time when I am now ready to express these ideas succinctly to a wider audience. I can already feel that something has shifted in me since this interview began. Perhaps it has also transformed you somehow in your understanding of me. If so, your next step could be to find out how this interview has transformed your understanding of yourself as well. When this happens, our time together will be a conscious processionist moment for you too. I don't know if I would call conscious processionism a crusade. I believe that it is a natural next step for the art world and the world in general. Art has always been a reflection of our culture. There is an enormous paradigm shift happening in our modern communities. The time is ripe for art to evolve from merely being a reflection of our culture to becoming a propellant that helps to push the culture forward, up, and beyond.
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