The Elements of Creative and Expressive Artistry

Introduction True happiness … is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose. —Helen Keller, American author and educator The Elements of Creative and Expressive Artistry: A Philosophy for Creating Everything Artistic is important to the field of art aesthetics as it identifies the elemental basis of all artistic disciplines. This book proves that a one-to-one correspondence of aesthetic elements exists among all artistic disciplines, whether these art forms are considered “high art,” “low art,” fine arts, performing arts, practical arts, craft arts, etc. My research has verified nine sets of root elements are common to all artistic fields. These nine sets of root elements factor out to 36 individual branch elements and hundreds of characteristics. Moreover, I expected these aesthetic elements to be homogenous; however, under analysis, I discovered among branch elements existed an eclectic, but complementary assortment of elements. These included knowledge bases, physiological-emotional-psychological processes, media, states of being, attitudes, and perspectives. Perhaps an equally important breakthrough was understanding the vital, synergistic interrelationships of root and branch elements in expressing the creative impulse. These findings demonstrate that artistic expression encompasses a richer and more diverse range of elemental aesthetics than is usually discussed. The artist is responsible for some of the most expressive and influential creations borne into existence. This book acknowledges the legacy of artists, and provides a glimpse into their astonishingly sophisticated and multifaceted world. The book also offers definitions developed to establish a general nomenclature common among all artistic disciplines. Even words and terms not normally associated with certain domains will be found to be compatible with existing vocabulary. Beyond vocabulary, a philosophical language was developed to express the ideas and concepts of the book. Some of the language at first may seem overly metaphorical or poetical; a deeper reading of the text will reveal how accurately this language does describe the complexities of artistry. Furthermore, to corroborate the framework of this theory, quotations and citations were collected from artists, educators, scientists, researchers, philosophers, and critics discussing artistry of all fields and related artistic phenomena. Their insights and illustrations illuminate the topics of this work. Artists will find a wealth of information about how each element applies to their artistic domains. Artists can also make comparisons of how these elements are expressed in artistic fields outside their own. Educators will be able to use these findings to enrich curricula and to stimulate other avenues of academic exploration. Critics will have an additional framework by which to evaluate artistic work. Even the non-artist will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of art and the artistic process. The seeds of The Elements of Creative and Expressive Artistry germinated during a rewrite of my desktop-published book, Sing with Emotion and Style. While redrafting a chapter about how to add emotional expressiveness to a song, I noticed that many of the exercises and activities I used to develop the artistry of singers were borrowed from my studies of various other artistic disciplines: determining the objective or subjective story of a song (literary arts); using sense memory to enliven the song (dramatic arts); releasing tension in the voice through physical movement (dance arts); visualizing appropriate imagery for each section of the song (visual arts and literary arts); reciting the words of a song with emotion (dramatic arts); expressing the subtext of the song (dramatic arts); and so forth. Then, a startling but amusing notion began bouncing around in my head: All artistic domains are aesthetically linked on an elemental level. What started off as a straightforward excursion to identify and classify artistic elements and factors common to all artistic disciplines turned into a different journey altogether. Two and a half years later, on the brink of mental exhaustion and physical collapse (I was still suffering from depression from the loss of my closest friend , Lené, who was also a singer I managed and for whom I produced), I had a final breakthrough that enabled me to devise a fully-integrated theoretical model supporting my hypothesis. From this model, I developed an initial 20,000-word essay. However, I was to discover this achievement represented only the beginning of a much longer journey. I then devoted five years to refining my theoretical model and dramatically expanding my research which has evolved into this present 160,000-word volume. The development of The Elements of Creative and Expressive Artistry has been a series of progressions. For example, a major concept of the first generation of the book likened the nine major aesthetic elements to a model of the solar system, where each major element was a planet around which the minor aesthetic elements orbited like moons. An advancement of this concept led me to consider the idea that the major elements emerged from a single impulsive aesthetic (the creative impulse) to form an interconnected root system of nine main roots which in turn sprouted 36 branch elements. This iteration of the model, more like a biological root system, synergistically channels the entire network of major and minor root systems into one large trunk-like structure of unified energy expressing the creative impulse. Many concepts of the book matured in this way. During the writing of this introduction, I again came across a book in my library, How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb, which espouses seven principles that draw from Da Vinci’s life achievements. To be honest, up to the point of rediscovering the book, I hadn’t read it. I bought the book knowing that one day I might need it (I buy a lot of resource material this way). Da Vinci is at the top of the handful of people I greatly admire, representative of a true Renaissance individual. As an adolescent, I read everything about his life I could obtain. How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci identified seven key principles that played a critical role in Da Vinci’s life; I recognized they also played a role in my own personal development. In fact, as I read the final draft of this book, I was amazed to notice that these principles are reflected in my life and in many of my observations strewn throughout this book. As I credit these principles as instrumental in giving me a vital, balanced, and productive life, and for sustaining me through the researching and writing of this book, I summarize them here, reordering them based on my own priorities: A recognition and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena: systems thinking. The development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination: “whole-brain” thinking. An insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning. A commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience. A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty.