Are you in Flow?
Yesterday a video caught my eye and I ended up transfixed to my phone like if I looked away I would lose air. The video wasn’t that important, but looking back now, while I was watching my mind was projected into a memory of watching my dad sketch buildings and figures. I was right there with him, as I picked up a pencil to try and mimic his movements and gestures. To grab the same shading he did. I wanted to be able to draw just like him. His mind was intriguing to me, as I saw the calculations come through in his artwork. The lines and his execution were fluid, as if he himself was in a trance, in his “flow state”.
Maybe that is what sparked my interest in art and seeing art in everything that I come in contact with. From people’s styles to landscape to architecture to programming. The whole gambit. Everything has to be designed in order for it to exist, structurally and physically. The design process can be exciting and inspirational if you yourself are in the “flow state”.
For some, you might be pondering on what I mean when I say “flow state”. To me, that is a state you are in where you lose all sense of time. You are in your zone (or flow) where ideas and concepts come to you naturally. Almost like a sense of hyperfocus, your head is only in the thought of what you are working on. The world disappears around you. Effortless attention, if you will. I find myself more in that state when working on a piece of art, or writing/singing, or even when I am coding some website or application. The different lanuages, such as React, JavaScript, CSS, SQL and Python all mix together like colors mixing on canvas. Using tools to make one art medium mix and meld, all while creating a beautiful piece of art, just in a technical way (which oddly enough is not that technical to begin with). All of these different languages work in tandem with one another and when there are no bugs to fix or missing semicolons, you can see what the outcome is.
As I gaze at one of my father’s pieces of art, my memory resurfaces yet again to him. If you haven’t noticed I have been using past tense when speaking of him. He has been departed from this earthly realm 17 years ago on July 19th. There are many things I wish. For instance, being able to see him again or even hear his voice. I hope that keeping his memory close to my heart will keep his spirit close to me.
I am blessed to have had time with my dad and for him to introduce me into the world of art. As I said before, I see everything in art form.The stardust from the galaxy make up exquisite nebulas, starforms, planets, asteroids, you, etc. If the world is your canvas, how will you sketch your outcome? Don’t be afraid to use colors, different types of mediums, and most of all, keep making art. Life gives you many new sheets to scribble and sketch on. One day you will be able to look back on the sketch pad to see all that you have made. In the future when you have departed, your loved ones can look back on that sketch pad you made to be comforted.
Perhaps things are most beautiful when they are not quite real; when you look upon a scene as an outsider, and come to possess it in its entirety and forever; when you live in the present with the lucidity and feeling of memory; when, for want of connection, the world deepens and becomes art. - Mark Helprin
