Daily Meditation: Tuesday, December 28, 2004

Artist - must take himself in the first instance as the matter of his creation

12/28/2004

When people meet artists – painters, poets, musicians – whose works they admire, they are often surprised to discover that they as people and their behaviour are completely devoid of the beauty found in their creations: they emanate neither light, nor poetry, nor harmony. Why? Because for the most part, artists are content to create works outside themselves using materials exterior to themselves. It is on this outer material that they concentrate their efforts. Well, this is insufficient. Art must not merely be confined to certain works, but it must also exist in life. The true artist is one who can use himself as the material for his creation. All the methods of the spiritual life are at our disposal, to help and inspire us in this work. Yes, it is in ourselves first of all that we must create poetry and music, harmonious forms and movements and sparkling colours, so that all those around us, in the visible and invisible worlds alike, can benefit from them.