Creativity
Hey guys! I have found the time and inspiration on this Labor Day to write about a couple of things on my mind! Both of these things pertain to creativity. Both of these things are observational. One of these things is lighthearted and probably debatable, and the other may wax a tad philosophical.
The first of the things is this: Graphic Novelists Are Pretty Flopping Impressive. Recently I have gotten it into my head to attempt to write fiction, and I am in the middle (the very very beginning) of writing a short story that will hopefully be finished by the end of this month (so you guys can look forward to that!). Whilst in my figurative “think barn” squeezing some “idea milk” from my “mind udders” onto the page, I thought of how remarkable it was that a person could craft some of the amazing stories that I have read, then describe their stories in such a way that another person can translate the first person’s story into a vivid visual dimension using only their hands and pens and pencils and paper. Thus I am remarking. Just like with any type of art expression, there are outstanding graphic novels and there are crappy graphic novels and there are many graphic novels in between, what sets graphic storytelling apart from other artistic mediums (specifically dealing with literature) is the beautiful symbiotic relationship between the writer and illustrator (occasionally these are the same person… like fight club). Just like live-action movie-makers (which are pretty cool too), graphic novelists tell a story that you can see, the difference being that anything in a graphic novel had to be created completely from scratch. Also, in movie making there are, of course, many many different people involved using several different skills (acting, visual effecting, sound mixing, etc.) so the comparisons can’t really go that far. Anyway, without trying to make any controversial imperial statements, I will just say that I find the whole world of graphic noveling incredible.
Now to go a bit philosophical (Disclaimer: I am 18 years old, I have no degrees or certifications declaring my theological competency, I do not claim to be an authority on any subject whatsoever, but this is my blog and I write for the sake of honesty, so there’s that…). During my efforts to try out some creative expression over the past few months I have established a theory: Unresolved sin saps creative energy. “Sin” here being defined as “the act of going against what one’s soul knows to be True”. It seems to me (I stress to me) that most creativity, especially artistic creativity, comes from an understanding, or at least an earnest pursuit, of Truth. A Truth found in the world around us that is in harmony with, or in contrast to, the Truth described in Romans 2:15. That is why artists and writers who couldn’t care less about an “all-powerful god” or “sin” can still create the things that they do, because they have the ability to be honest with themselves and the world, and even if they don’t know what it is yet, they know that there is something to know. Unless said “artist/writer” is of the Postmodern mindset (read a book), in which case their own worldview renders all things meaningless and any “art” produced could hardly be considered “creative”. In my own experience, when I sin my mind seems to lobotomize itself as part of a bizarre self-defense mechanism in order to keep me from hating myself. I don’t experience guilt or shame, but rather the decided absence of such things. I am afraid to enter my own mind (soul?) for fear of bumping into the Truth that I just betrayed or ignored. Since this Truth is the well from which my creativity flows this really puts a damper on any creative endeavors I may have. Fortunately for my soul and I, Truth often comes after me, and thanks to this I am doing more things and hiding less. For this I am quite grateful.
If you guys have any comments, questions or requests, leave them below! I will write more later!
-Avery Moodie