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RENEWAL
16x20 Oil on Canvas
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WELCOME TO INTUITIVE THINKING!
INTUITIVE THINKING - What it does:
Intuitive Thinking leads to an ever-expanding artistic awareness, understanding, and the correct use of the separate and distinct functions of the Right Brain and Left Brain in art. The correct use of BOTH sides of the brain. The term "Right Brain" is synonymous and interchangeable with "Intuition", and "Left Brain" with "Intellect".
I have borrowed the terms "Right Brain" and "Left Brain" from Dr. Betty Edwards, from her book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". It is a great book that has helped many people draw better. However, Intuitive Thinking goes well beyond "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain", in that it is about the conscious, correct use of BOTH sides of the brain in art.
Intuitive Thinking is not a theory, but a reality, and is a mental skill that can be learned by anyone wishing to experience its far-reaching powers. It goes much, much deeper than visually tricking the Right Brain into action! Intuitive thinking means learning to use your NATURAL thinking capabilities properly.
Intuitive Thinking involves awareness of our mental activities as they occur, and consciously directing the Right Brain and Left Brain to work together like the team they should be, to work together harmoniously and in concert, rather than in the frustrating and stressful adversarial relationship we all experience. I bet you think that frustration and stress is a normal part of thinking and making decisions!
Intuitive Thinking allows each of the brain's hemispheres to operate to the greatest possible benefit to the artist and the creation of Art - Art with a capital "A"! Intuitive Thinking has the power to completely transform your life and art from the inside-out. It did for me.
Born in the Netherlands, I first began exploring the workings of my mind when I was only 12 years old. Gradually, I began to realize that the human mind works the same way for all of us, artists and non-artists alike.
I have been painting in oils since I was 14, and decided early on (though I never told anyone) that if Rembrandt and Vermeer could do it, I could do it. I never had the luxury of a teacher, so I am completely self-taught. I had only my mind and my Intuition to fall back on, and I give sole credit to that internal teacher for giving me this depth of understanding and ability in painting, and for becoming who I am today.
The compelling desire to learn what these Dutch Masters knew is what actually started me on a life-long quest - to learn to understand how we perceive things, and the meanings we attach to what we perceive, And how our perceptions influence our thinking, and how our thinking mechanism and thinking patterns work in the decision-making process we use in our daily lives, including the making of art.
Now, after 50 years of soul searching, I fully understand this mental decision-making process that involves both our Right Brain/Intuition and Left Brain/Intellect.
The relationship of our Intuition to our Intellect is the governing factor in the success or failure (rightness or wrongness) in the myriad decisions that produce a work of art.
Here is a comparison of the distinct functions of both sides of the brain in art.
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RIGHT BRAIN - INTUITION
1. VISIONARY. Expansive - increases in dimension
and scope. Rooted in the intangible reality of
the spiritual world.
2. OBJECTIVE. TRUTHFUL observation.
3. VISUAL (non-verbal). Gives no names or verbal
descriptions to things.
4. NEUTRAL Sees things as they are without
attaching meaning or opinion.
5. PLACID & CALM. Unemotional and not capable of
doubt.
6. IMPERSONAL. Knows no anger, fear or worry,
neither justifies nor condemns oneself or
others. Detached from personal involvement,
does not add meaning to or assign value or
importance to what is observed.
7. Serves as a CONDUIT for gaining True inner
understanding, new ideas and concepts.
KNOWS what is Right or wrong in art or life.
Has no sense of time. Intuition exists in
timelessness.
8. Designed for True learning, gaining new or
deeper understanding derived from
inner/intangible sources. Creative abilities.
Relates to the future - creates something
new.
9. The Right Brain's intuitive power serves to
RECEIVE inspiration, to envision what could
or should be, and then to instruct, lead and
provide direction to the intellect/Left Brain.
NOTE: The correct NATURAL function of the Right
Brain is to serve as "Master" for conceiving
and creating art!
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LEFT BRAIN - INTELLECT
1. LITERAL. Concrete - limited to, and by, physical
reality. Rooted in the tangible reality of the
physical world.
2. SUBJECTIVE. Interprets (changes or adds to)
what is observed.
3. VERBAL (non-visual). Gives names or verbal
descriptions to what is observed.
4. PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS. Judgmental and
opinionated.
5. NOISY, FULL OF ACTIVITY & COMMOTION.
Emotional and quick to doubt.
6. PERSONAL. Quick to anger, fear or worry.
Quick to justify or condemn oneself or others.
Personal/emotional involvement, adds meaning
to, or assigns value or importance to what is
observed. Impatient.
7. Incapable of true understanding, but can tell
when something "makes sense". Uses logic,
reasoning, such as in applying the learned
principles of art (or conventionalities of life).
Conscious of time passing. Under pressure
because time is always running out.
8. Cannot create, but is designed to manipulate
and use what already exists, or what it has
accepted as true (i.e. "learned") from external
sources such as books or teachers. Acquired
skills. Relates to the past - relies on the old.
9. The Left Brain's intellectually acquired knowledge
and our bodies (both rooted in the physical
world) are designed to work together as the
ultimate TOOL to realize and implement the ideas,
insight, and other input form the intuitive
Right Brain.
NOTE: The intellectual power of the Left Brain is
designed by nature to act as "Servant" for
PRODUCING a work of art.
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This comparison of each point describing parallel, but quite different, functions of the Intuition and Intellect, should be interesting and enlightening, if you haven't thought about these things before. Does it give you any ideas? Is it making you think?
Before we get deeper into Intuitive Thinking, let us consider some of the things we artists have to think about and understand in order to be able to produce a painting that might be considered a work of True Art.
Let's start with the basic question: WHAT IS ART? That, as they say, is a good question. Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to that deceptively simple question. Art is a word that everyone knows, and most people have a pretty definite opinion about whether a painting they are viewing is "art" or not. I think the truth is that there is no objactive standard, or set of rules, by which we can judge the quality of a piece of art. Whether a particular painting reaches that exalted level of True or Great Art, or is thought to be merely art, is purely a subjective thing. Therefore, I believe that: "Like Beauty, Art is in the Eye of the Beholder".
What is also true, though, is that True or Great Art is timeless and has a profound and lasting effect on the viewer. True Art has, what I like to call the "WOW Factor". We experience the WOW Factor when viewing certain original works of Old Masters painted many centuries ago. But "ordinary" art (if I may call it that), no matter how expertly executed, is much more superficial and at best gives only momentary pleasure to the viewer. It lacks the depth or soul, if you will, of Great Art. So, how did the Old Masters paint "depth" and "soul"? How can we paint "depth" and "soul"?
Over the years I have come to understand that the Old Masters, such as Rembrandt, were able to paint depth and soul because they were: a) highly developed in their sensitivity to their Right Brain/Intuition; b) highly developed spiritual people; and c) they had achieved a high level of intellectual knowledge of their craft and technical expertise in their chosen medium.
Art, as an object, is an AESTHETIC object. "Aesthetic" refers to a "Sense of the Beautiful". Interestingly, the opposite of aesthetic is "anesthetic". That tells you something doesn't it? Think about it - all True Art is aesthetic, it is beautiful to you - it has the WOW Factor! If art is not aesthetic or beautiful, it could be classified as as being "anesthetic"!
(Note: When forming an opinion about a piece of art, or anything else, you are engaging in an active, verbal Left Brain function!)
Although there is certainly a profusion of anesthetic art, there is also True Art - Art that is beautiful, regardless of subject matter. Art with a capital "A".
Obviously, it is more difficult to create True Art, because the finest works of Art must be created through an inspired union of the intangible (Intuitive inspiration) and the tangible (skill, paint, and canvas). This requires a certain amount of personal growth, development, and a higher level of understanding - maturity - in the Artist. Great Art is an INSPIRED UNION of the SPIRITUAL and the PHYSICAL. Such Art lifts us up and out of our humdrum human existence, and we are ENVELOPED by the sheer BEAUTY of the painting. The WOW Factor!
(Note: The recognition of Beauty is a passive, non-verbal Right Brain function!)
Such Art is appreciated, valued, and admired by artists and non-artists alike. True Art, inspired by an intangible, wordless idea and skillfully executed with ordinary tangible art materials, speaks directly to the soul and Intuitive nature common to all human beings. Such a viewer experiences the painting as Great Art that has depth and soul, and great beauty.
More information on Intuitive Thinking is provided on the next page: Awareness and Thinking. Please click on that link on the left side of this page to continue.
If you would like to contact me, Maria Smith, please email me by clicking the link below. I will be pleased to personally address your questions and comments about Intuitive Thinking and the creation of Art.
info@intuitivethinking.com
This is a complex subject that "hits us where we live", and for that reason it is not easy to think about. However, perhaps you are the one whose life can be changed or if you are one who wishes to find your own Internal Teacher, then this site is for you. So, if you are up to it, please read all 5 pages in order to get a good grasp on the deep concepts involved.
"With all your getting, above all get understanding."
Please go to the next page and click on "Awareness & Intuition"
(in the upper left corner of this page)
Thanks for your interest in Intuitive Thinking!
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