THOUGHTS ON VISIONARY ART

In many traditional cultures there is no separate definition of 'art' or 'artist' ­ personal creativity as an important function for each individual for expressing the thoughts of the heart, the passion of life and connection to the mystical, sacred aspects of living.

Within each of us, as human beings, is a creative thread, an innate appreciation and delight at the shapes and forms and colours that surround us. As children this is vivid, spontaneous and uncensored; we are spirit creatures responding from the heart. As adults we have to give attention to more mundane tasks and we often lose the freshness of the vision.

In cultures where specialisation of work has meant that art has become marginalized, the child may be told that it is 'not artistic', and 'art' is delegated to those who have specific skills. This is rather like franchising prayer - a natural function - and creating a priest system to intercede with spirit on behalf of the individual.

And so we stop 'making', celebrating life with shape and form and colour, with our own hands and hearts, and rely on someone who is 'qualified' to do it for us.

 

A DEEPER LEVEL
In any society, there are those who have the compulsion to explore further and dig deeper into the well of imagination, and who feel the pull of inspiration. In traditional shamanic societies these people are usually perceived as having particularly visionary abilities which are valuable to the community, and these abilities are developed and trained alongside spiritual disciplines.
This discipline is for a good reason: for those with the ability to step into the dreaming of the Earth, to tread the fine line where daydream and everyday reality can have equal power, life can be confusing and even frightening; furthermore the ability to enter a state of ecstasy or inspiration may become a refuge without direction or use.

 

ONLY IMAGINATION
Imagination is our key to possibilities beyond our own experience, flexibility in our life choices, and a way to reach out to mystical experience in daily life.
It is the window through which we can experience 'Heaven in a grain of sand' or the presence of an angel in an unexpected shaft of light. If we are encouraged to discount that such moments are true communication with Spirit, we cannot gain the experience by which we can judge whether we are having a moment of fancy, or a true communication from something beyond ourself. And by further delegating the job of receiving such 'vision' to a select few, we risk not developing our streetwise ability to recognise the dark side of this kind of experience ­ delusion.

 

RITUAL AND INSPIRATION
Artists may speak of their 'muse' or the 'block that happens when inspiration deserts them. One purpose of spiritual practice for the artist (or anyone who wishes to enter the creative space) is to provide a formal ritual structure so that this randomness of the creative function can be regulated.
The creative work process usually brings us come to this ritualisation anyway by trial and error, the actor must have their lucky talisman, or the writer prepare by sharpening her pencils in a certain way. For the painter this often happens inside the studio - which can be an intensely private place - setting out paints in a certain order, or even wearing a particular 'lucky' hat! What is often missed out in this serendipitous process is the 'return' ritual, the reversing of the sequence, or using some other signal to the self (and Spirit) that we have checked out of the visionary space, and would now like to get on with other, more mundane, aspects of life.
I mentor quite a few artists among my clients, helping them create work rituals that they feel comfortable with, which help them be more focused in practical everyday matters and relationships, and which make their creativity more reliable and accessible.
This energy management is even more important if we are consciously contacting spiritual subjects or working in a meditative way.

 

SACRED WORK PRACTICE
Images themselves, when they are created with the intent of working from a spiritual source or inspiration, have a life-energy of their own. When I was told this some years ago, I thought it a rather wacky and over-dramatic idea. However, over the years, I have seen the powerful effect images can have on both the maker of the image and the casual spectator. I have seen images bring healing, insight and hope; they can bring great peace to shrine room and sitting room alike; healing to a subway or temple.

In the older traditions of sacred art, where icons are deliberately used to evoke the energy of a deity or sacred power, there are often elaborate rules to help direct and be tidy with the energy that the artist is working with. For instance, the eyes of a saint on an Orthodox Christian icon will not be completed until last moment, when a dot of white is put on to 'open' the saint's eye and activate it's mystical connection; or with a Tibetan thangka image of a Buddhist deity, the painting will not be an active aid to meditation and practice until a prayer has been inscribed on the back.
The preparation of materials, grinding pigments, preparing boards and brushes, are also formalised within such traditions, ensuring that the image is created in every aspect in a sacred manner.
The western artist who is not working in a specific tradition can express this awareness of visionary art as a sacred process in their own way; it may be appropriate to use incense or smudge when bringing new paints into the studio to cleanse; or the finished work may be dedicated with a prayer to the well-being of whoever looks at it; I know a few artists who sing into their paintings as they are made.

 

THE GOLDEN CHILD
When someone makes a negative comment or criticism about something we have made or imagined, it is not surprising that the sense of hurt can run surprisingly deep. And it is often not until we venture back into a space of creative 'play', maybe late on in our adult life, that we feel the hurt again and draw back. The 'golden child' - the part of us that is connected to the magical, mystical world around us - can run away and hide, or respond with a thunderbolt of anger or protest!
But it is through the eyes of that inner child that we can see true visions, play with rainbows, sing the song of the wind; if we can heal, encourage, honour and celebrate that child, the amazing world of creation around us is ever-new.

 

 

© 2004 Jan Morgan Wood

 

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