miChelle Vara’s Paper on: Artist Working Process A Theory-
Creative Conduit Production [CCP]
The theory has been named Creative Conduit Production [CCP].
CCP is where a subject in altered states of mind, like automatism or trance, connects knowledge, either physical, theoretical or practical, and experience to action; creating object outcomes that incorporate a live aspect of being into the inanimate object which lastly touches the onlooker in/on multiple levels, leaving the onlooker in some way changed. This working theory does include descriptive words like intuition, talent, or inspiration that uncover and expose the artist’s actions throughout the process. For the sake of this written reflection, making is applied to drawing, painting, and sculpture. All parts used in making are intentionally chosen for their individual history, story, insinuation, practical use, etc. to enhance and extend the finished objects visual commentary or metaphysics. I am very intentional in all parts of my process. The act of making that I am referring to is the action of creating while in an altered state of mind, which is for me a magical, guided tour by or into my higher self through the Universal Knowledge Space (Godhead/ Allah/ Buddha/ Jesus/ I AM; this is for me not limited to any pre-devised names and is not religious. The trance or altered state of mind is a reality for me created without drugs or any other falsely induced methods.
What I am trying to reveal here is my individual, personal, creative process which happens on a higher or different plane and vision space. I create through quieting of reality, putting my mind into the action of creating with an outcome being a physical object; making a visual statement that captures life force through the object (drawing, sculpture, painting). This process doesn’t acknowledge words for now, but words may have a place for experimentation in the future.
I acknowledge objects as vessels for personality, stories, histories and/or ideas that are exposed, conveyed, or portrayed from a human in a trance like mind-space. The information garnered from the mix of the object’s personality and a human mind-space, or vice versa, is assembled by me, the artist, into a new equation of life-force commentary with a changing dialog; even though the object is an inanimate object. The object can tell or harbor its own story that can be or is visible in the finished product, separate from the intention of the artist. The finished object may be new or repurposed such as a Readymade. I will not expand on the Readymade in this overture due to limited word count and time. The constructed object can absorb the repurposed materials energies, becoming one in new contexts and/or dialog outputs; creating a new history and/or story.
In meditation my higher self creates a vibration color space which I call the connection state.
In my recent experiments titled Three Pie, Beauty, Oh Balls which can be found on my blog, the vibration space is white. I think the vibration color space has a dramatic effect upon the work’s language and outcome.
Through my readings by Joan Miro and Concerning the Spiritual in Art by Wassily Kandinsky my ideas in color were shored up; although Kandinsky uses color as a more direct symbolism, his theory draws obvious parallels to my thoughts on space. The connection of state of mind to atmosphere and space allows for an open access to visions, enhanced actions and choices with the feeling of being guided, and equaling a connection to the higher self and universal knowledge.
I am led through CCP to endeavors in making physical objects that contain mind, memory, intuition, inspiration and/or spirit. Not only does this connect me, the artist, to a dialog with the object, but the object and the viewer to a mind-space of something bigger and in direct commentary to self.
Sister Wendy, the art historian: “Create from your Own Truth!”
This idea of a higher mind or spirit mind is not new. One can see these ideas in belief, practice and preaching of Christianity in biblical tellings where a human is guided or imbued with the Holy Spirit. Another book, Flash of the Spirit by Robert Farris Thompson tells of where many different black cultures connect to spirit self or higher being. Both these connections show a link to the outcome of processes in areas like object, song, dance, story over hundreds of generations.
The data collected over the last year from interviews with people who reviewed my through CCP created and finished works confirmed the positive outcome of the process multiple times.
The artwork I created transmitted information and brought conclusions and ideas into the foreground of conscious statements and actions made by the viewer. The whole of the new object consumes the old, singular objects; creates fresh, notable statements which change the environment and/or human experience without written or verbal prompts. This leaves the metaphoric conversation to continue endlessly in the subconscious; the conscious territories of being human.
Where I think it is easy to see the CCP outcome is a notable, important instance in Mark Rothko’s work. Rothko’s canvases are intense, an experience that can do many things: inspire, crush, instill or agitate the observer into new, individual contexts of self; sometimes called enlightenment or an informed instance.
I make this statement through personal, direct contact with his work; I spent a long time digesting this experience in quiet contemplation. The CCP output in Mark Rothko’s work was outstanding! I recorded my impressions, experiences and the thoughts in drawings for opportunities to be explored at another time.