“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” Thomas Merton
I’m on a 4-day trip and sitting my hotel room. It’s quiet. I like these times. These are times when I read or journal, check emails or read a few blogs. After finding the above quote it has perked my interest to write.
For me the past year has been focused around art. Most of the books I’ve read all pertain to some form of art: writing, painting, photography, sculpting, etc. I’m not sure how much I considered my photography as art but because of all the reading I’ve done, and looking closely at how I work at photography, my views are changing. Photography is my paint brush for expressing my vision, my creativity and how I see the world around me. I’m learning to listen to the voice within me to create images pleasing to me and even write posts about my photography. As I’m listening to the muse, as Pressfield suggests, I’m finding out new things about myself and seeing the world with a fresher vision. I press the shutter button on my camera for my need to express myself. And, to express myself I need to know more about myself.
Here are some of the books I’ve enjoyed reading lately:
- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
- Art and Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland
- Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
- Linchpin by Seth Godin
6 Comments
Alan M. Collopy
Monte,
Nice capture, artistic. Photography, to me, is a form of art. Whether it applies to all photos, certain compositions or subjects, or the way it is perceived by others. It’s what we make of it.
I love this photo, the great color, the sky and the subject. As someone who shoots these types of photos, I appreciate seeing them as “art”.
Well done, Alan
Monte Stevens
Thanks, Alan. Let’s keep working at our craft and enjoying the process of our art.
QPB (Mary Ann)
Art is a matter, I think, of how you express yourself–your writing, your photos and perhaps even one’s dreams. Seems to be, for me, a matter of letting one’s spirit roll.
Nice capture. Hope you are having a great weekend!
Monte Stevens
Yes, expressing ourselves. I also like how you said it, “letting one’s spirit roll.” And, hope you guys have a wonderful weekend also.
Janet
Nice!
Monte Stevens
Well, hello there! Glad you stopped by and hope all is well with you.