The wisdom found in a fortune cookie is usually amusing at best. However, I remember one fortune from decades ago that actually offered a valuable insight. The fortune read: “You never know until you try. Then you know.”
We are now experiencing changes that beckon us to try. Try anything. What’s the worst that can happen? If you try and fail, you just learned something.
That’s a victory.
I consider the truthful nature of this fortune often. You never know until you try. If you’re not trying something new or different, you aren’t really trying at all. You’re just following a pattern. Not a very creative approach for a sculptor or anyone else.
I spoke recently with Chayo Wilson, a fellow member of Pacific Northwest Sculptors. We talked about the things we do to center ourselves before going to our studios. Her studio is in her home. If you share that scenario, you know how difficult it can be to separate your work from your other work. Chayo’s solution is to go for a walk. Yes, she works at home and still, she walks to work. Brilliant! The simple act of taking a walk before entering her studio helps focus her attention on the work ahead.
In her ritualistic walk around the neighborhood, she always finds something. Or more accurately, something finds her: a feather, a small scrap of metal, a twisted branch, whatever. Each walk connects her with some object that centers her attention and sets the tone for what happens in the studio today.
Our conversation didn’t end there. We talked about members of our sculptors group and how different we are from each other. Whenever I get into a conversation with any of these people, something unpredictable usually happens. You never know what direction the conversation will take or what insight it may reveal. We’re such an eclectic group of spatially-oriented individuals, we all see things through completely different connotations and dimensions. A simple question can lead to a philosophical revelation, a suggestion for alternate materials, a connection to another artist, a comparison to another sculpture.
That unpredictability makes it worth the effort to seek out other artists and share your questions. That is, I believe, the true benefit being part of any artist group. There is always an insight waiting to be discovered. All you have to do is ask.
We are now being challenged daily to solve problems, both in the studio and life in general. Social distancing takes a toll on how we interact with people we know. It also makes it difficult to interact with people we don’t’ know. That is a real limitation. We have to stretch our connections and seek fresh input if we are to remain creative. I recall a line by Bob Dylan, “He not busy being born is busy dying.” Being born involves attention, effort and reward.
Here’s the challenge I offer. If you belong to a group of creative people, find someone whose work intrigues you. Introduce yourself and start a conversation. The odds of that being a welcome interchange are very high. You will accomplish several things. First, you’ve made a new connection. Second, you don’t know where that conversation will lead, but it will likely result in some new insight. Third, you have taken control over social distancing by safely eliminating the distance.
You never know until you try. Then you know!