Virginia Peck, Inner Realm, oil on canvas, 44 x 42".Although our generative topic is “Immersive Environment” which may not seem like it has much to do with meditation, you can draw parallels if you choose not to look at it so literally.
Why learn to meditate?
Meditation is an act of concentration on the body, mind, and spirit as one unit. It is something that many people practice regularly because it is very calming and relaxing. People may practice it to gain focus on a project they are doing, or to help them rest easier at night. It can help relieve tension and even invoke happier feelings, which can be useful to anyone.
Why meditate as an artist?
Nadja Van Ghelue at workThere are many reasons to meditate as an artist. Nadja Van Ghelue is a calligraphy artist who practices meditation daily; she practices the traditional seated styles of shamatha and vipashyana. She meditates because she says it unifies her spirituality and her artwork. She says, “Through these meditations I experience more clarity and expansiveness of my mind, which results in a higher awareness and receptivity, indispensable tools for a good artist.”
Closer to home, Lowell artist Virginia Peck uses meditation and Buddhism as both a spiritual practice as well as a source of inspiration for her art. In her interview with the Boston Globe, she talked about her spirituality and her paintings of Buddha that was on display. She described one particular instance where meditation helped her realize a goal for her art: “One day I was sitting in meditation, and all of sudden, the proverbial light bulb went off. I thought, 'I've always loved to paint the face, the human head. [I] could paint the face of the Buddha.' An electric shock just went through me. It was like I was being called. That's what I was meant to do... I'm always struggling to find purpose and meaning in my life. It's not enough to just kind of go along.”
In both of these cases, these artists were able to achieve a higher sense of their own work through meditation. My current Portfolio teacher, Chandra Ortiz, also uses meditation and encourages her students to practice it as well. She says that meditating on a subject that you may be having trouble with is a good way to separate yourself from it and regain focus so that you can revisit your work in a more effective manner. You can accomplish a lot when you think you are not thinking about anything and only focusing on the relationship between your mind and body. I have tried this on a couple occasions, and each time has made me feel better about where my work is going as well as giving me a renewed sense of focus and energy.
How is meditation an immersive environment?
I think of meditation as being a sort of immersive environment for the anti-immersive environment. It is a way to immerse yourself in your mind and forget about your physical environment; that your body is all that is left of the physical world. You immerse yourself in your mind and use that to gain focus and energy while relieving stress and negative feelings. Meditation can become a part of your art practice and a part of your daily life if you feel it is personally helpful to you.
http://www.how-to-meditate.org/index.php/
http://www.theartofcalligraphy.com/artist-interview.html
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/01/19/artist_expresses_peace_using_buddha/
