Developing rituals for making art

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Developing rituals for making art

The Riderr-Waite Tarot Magician

Art often has a ritual aspect it its making. The artist might always pick up a coffee on their way to the studio, always align the paints on the palettte in a certain way, take a meditative pause, as Japanese Sumi-e artists do before working- these rtiuals make them very aware that they are underting a special activity or  workspace.

If one wishes to make an art which is especially open to unconscious forces, which is best?

In my case, if I am to make art in the manner described previously in Creativity and my unconscious and go for a walk through a range of scenery, what form of ritualisation heps me to bring forth my unconscious? 

A useful ritual:

- should dimish expectations: this will make it easier to work, because one will be less nervous

- should be reassuring:  this helps one feel that there is something right about the task

- be constraining: Thus your focus is lmited, leds to greater concentration

Ritualisation could involve: packing certain art materials, chosing specific clothes, taking snacks. Thus I emphasise to myself how I am engaging in a specific activity with perculiar value. The ritual is known, safe and reassuring., yet at the same time posesses some mysterius element. Perhaps it should be a little boring? Perhaps going painting at the same time, every day might be beneficial? Perhaps the mysterious element is in the transformative artistic process itself?

I believe the construction of a safe space for unconscious flow can perhaps be achieved through limiting the cost of artistic failure to the point where it scarcely matters.

This means taking cheaper materials, making little fuss, lowering prepertion time and reducing travel. 

And I think a mental set in which failure to arrive in the "zone of unconscious flow" is essential: a sort of acceptence of failure, so that one oesn`t feel inhibited,

The ritual accomodating these needs must contain easefulness, so that mental flow fom the unconscious occurs as readily as possible. 

For me, this ritual is in the arrival at a place not too far off, a brief perusal of the different perspectives the rapid erection of an easel, the opening of simply one bag, then taking just one or two brushes, being careful with these items, placing them on a cloth. One then puts a little paint on the palette, and after a meditative pause begins work on the support which is of cheaper material, nothing costing very much...

Through such simple rituals a safe space is constructed allowing iunconscious forces to rise.

Then ending the work should have some process surely?

For me this means ariving at a state of recognition that the process has reached an end, putting away my things,after a pause, leaving. ON arrival home later reflectionthere  on the piece and the experience.

 If the piece is deemed satisfactory, it can be shown to the world, buththat is another game altogether.

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