Dear Friends, You don’t know how much I appreciate all the posts on
this subject of inspiration and influence. Through your words, I see
a bit more of how others think and develop their work. I also see
perhaps a slight misunderstanding when I posted and first mentioned
contraints hampering the creative process. Well, the
misunderstanding may well be in how I stated my feelings on the
subject. I believe as I posted and that is how “I” work through the
process. Let me try to explain further what I am trying to say:
Suppose you are given a commission and you are presented this as the
"designer" of the piece, not a hint of what is expected and not a
sketch to work from. If a design were presented, then the work
would be “technical creativity” more so than in design. That type of
constraint is always present and simply means a piece of work is to
be produced technically correct to the design. In a second case,
say this is what you are told: “We have a 70 carat faceted
fluorite, a shield shape. We want a pendant. Also there are to be
17 spectrolite cabs. The metal is 18ky and platinum.” Through
discussion, it is determined the client prefers asymetrical work and
the piece is to be worn once, at a gala, then donated to a museum
collection.
Friends, I can certainly work within such constraints and in fact in
this case form, function, etc. lend to the creative process. A
direction is established. Much of the constraint is technical.
Likely some technical creativity will be needed for such a delicate
and easily damaged gem as the fluorite.
Then, as the work progresses, you are faced with a committee like
evaluation of the designs. Change a bit here, then a bit there, then
maybe move this over there…the result an aberration of form and
function and of beauty(in my eye.) Within such constraints, creative
design faces a blank wall. Technical design becomes precident
instead. This is the sort of thing I mean in constraints. And, if
asked to do a Salvador Dali intrepretation, I would have to bow out
at that. I do know my limitations in making my creative work become
technically feasible and beautiful within my abilities. It cannot be
compared with Salvador Dali.
Too much dabbling can ruin the process. That is the type of
contraint leading me to a blank wall. Then, the real discipline
must be grappled.
Thanks again.
Thomas.
@Sp.T