Art with Values and Principles

Featured image: Improv II

Freedom. I always try to create in a freedom mode of thought, a mode of thought that is free of outside power. This doesn’t happen easily, as my principles and values are my history, and it is hard to delete them when I enter my studio. The only way I can delete them, to any extent, is to recognize where their values and principles originate from.

According to Stephen R. Covey, “There are certain principles that transcend cultural differences and do not change over time. They determine the ultimate outcomes or consequences of behavior and actions, as much as gravity determines that something will fall when dropped.”
“Principles represent an objective reality that transcends cultures and individuals. Principles, including fairness, integrity, and honesty “A principle is a natural law like gravity. If you drop something, gravity controls. If I don’t tell you the truth, you won’t trust me; that’s a natural law,” according to Covey. “There are certain principles that transcend cultural differences and do not change over time. They determine the ultimate outcomes or consequences of behavior and actions, as much as gravity determines that something will fall when dropped.”

“Values, like morals on the other hand, are subjective, and change with changing times.” They are fluid and change frequently according to popular opinion and the way the wind blows.” Values are important in expressing our individual beliefs and opinions, and they can be used tactically to accomplish certain objectives based on our current circumstances, demands, and needs. Values can ultimately reflect or determine the current but potentially alterable goals that we have in our professional, family, and personal life,” Covey states.

Values are part of who we are as an individual, but because they are fluid and fluctuate, whoever controls and empowers values, controls the power behind these values. The power is not our own, it belongs to another. And that other, is robbing us of our authenticity and individuality if we don’t recognize that this is happening to us.

Principles, on the other hand, are not fluid, rarely change, and are not controlled by popular opinion. Principles allow an artist to be selfish with their time, and work and thus authentic, individualistic. This selfishness does not go so far to allow me to think that my little finger is more important than anything else in the world. Principles actually stop me from thinking that and acting in a self-centered way.

So, my history and my foundations are part of my work, as is the concept of freedom. Can I really enter my studio and be free in my process of making and creating? No and yes. Being able to recognize where the power source is within my foundations, and if they come from principles that transcend cultural trendy values then, yes, I can be free.

Continued with #134 A Particular Kind of Freedom