[Today’s featured artwork for Day 14 of the 365 Days Project is by Frances Gaffney.]
Seeing with the eyes of an artist can open perceptions into other realms.
#14 – Altered perceptions, by the Artist as well as the viewer, can be experienced through deep creative work.
Artists are very sensitive to the energetic vibrations of colors, shapes, music, dance and nature – which can provoke a transcendent experience. I’ve seen auras around dancers performing a choreography by Zab Maboungou, French-Congolese pioneer of African dance in Canada. I experienced an altered perception known as “tunnel vision” during a performance by Abenaki author and storyteller Joseph Bruchac.
But in 2009 I experienced a major event of my own that has profoundly changed how I perceive the physical and spiritual worlds, as well as art. Frances Gaffney’s painting, The Purple Rock, pictured above, reminds me of that event. I was deep in the Adirondacks on a primitive camping trip when I experienced a major shift in perception resulting in a fleeting glimpse into the secrets of the universe – and the true essence of art. Click here to read the full story.
For me, the importance of an event like this is not just to have an extraordinary experience. It is a gift to be paid forward. All of the artwork I created since that vision in the Adirondacks carries a glimpse of those insights to be passed along to others. It may take a lifetime to fully comprehend these gifts and how to best use them. But that’s the purpose of a creative practice.
“Art is not supposed to change the world, to change practical things, but to change perceptions. Art can change the way we see the world.”
JR
Frances Gaffney’s artwork can be viewed at Frances Gaffney.
The 365 Days Project
In 2012, Serena Kovalosky committed to writing an article a day for 365 days as an exploration into the lives of artists and the value of creative thinking in our society.
Experience the full evolution of the project! Click below to read the entire collection of articles.
Descriptions of the images included in this post:
The Purple Rock
Frances Gaffney, New York, USA
Oil on canvas
Irene
Frances Gaffney, New York, USA
Graphite on paper
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