The Process of Elimination

 We have all heard the saying about throwing something against a wall to see what sticks, as being a way of deciding something that otherwise may be difficult in the process of making a particular decision. The same has been true in following my own creative instincts. That which sticks has been, and will continue to be, akin to "Taking what you like and leaving the rest". Some will see this as being a bit foolish by not exploring or questioning what has evolved up to that point. More about that later.

    Honing and refining one's skills and choices in the creative process is very important. Happy accidents can and do occur depending upon how much time and energy you may devote to a process ( which in many cases gets abandoned because of an ineffable result ). However, two things may occur in that process. Your skills using a particular tool or medium will advance and/or it may remain a "Work in progress" until you are able to produce something masterful.

    Making something masterful is the result of trial and error. It takes a lot to make a rock look beautiful. Sometimes the process can interfere with the outcome and the rock looks disastrous. Thankfully, that hasn't occurred so much lately. Below is really a state-of-the-art rock, of which I am very proud.

        

  

The rock on the right its the same rock under a blacklight

Making Money vs. Making Art

 We all have to make a living. Some do it creatively by cultivating their skills and pursuing their talent. Others follow their calling and will adhere to a legacy passed on by their parents or relatives. The pinnacle of a particular skill can be called artistic and will have value both ascetically and commercially. A true artist is gifted in rendering both, by carefully evaluating their work both personally and collectively. However, putting the cart before the horse in this instance can be a delicate balance of priorities.

    The appreciation of art is all fine and good, but the time, skill, material, and marketing that go into an agreed value are commonly measured in dollars and cents.

    The other thing that an artist (as is commonly known), is the creator of a work of art., not that they have commanded the manipulation of materials or the environment by which something has been created, but that they are the vehicle by which the event of its manifestation has occurred. 

Below is this week's "Rock of the Week".