I complimented an artist I know for the excellent job she did designing a fresh logo. She said “well, actually, I borrowed from another logo I saw and…” as if that meant she could take no credit for the unique way she remade from another idea. Her apology made me sad; she didn’t realize what she’d done! There is a huge difference between copying and referencing. The former is plagiarism/thievery/boring — the later is crafting; it’s an entire reworking from ingredients already on the table.
All unique creativity springs from other starts. Nothing we do comes from nothing. In fact it is vain (and impossible) to assume we can do otherwise. Every great artist was influenced by what some others did. You can trace it. Only God needs no reference. Only God creates matter out of nothing before He shapes it. Only God is entirely original=out of origin. I find this simple contrast between His Creating and ours liberating, not demeaning.
We can be like the first humans in the garden, making new things. In fact, we’re commissioned to make new things, from the earth already made. We can be like Ruth, gleaning in the fields. We are all in disparate ways poor, and all in various ways hungry, as she was. The poverty and the hunger can be motivators. And it’s ones, like her, who go out and energetically glean from the leftover bits at the corners of existing fields who have something “new” to share with others. Here is an example from an articulate painter I know.
And here is one example of a reference for me. I found this tree in Mainz just recently. The context when this was captured, was loaded with wonderful conversation, sweet family and a slow walk though a charming town. This is just one of lots of references I recorded from that day. I thought the bark shapes were interesting, and maybe or maybe not will I use them as a start. The palette: this particular set of colors, is the better set of ingredients for me however. I might use them. Aren’t they beautiful! Thanks to the Creator for making such a lovely Sycamore tree, upon which I can possibly glean something new.
Mary Nees, artist and author of Markers; Key Themes for Soul Survival
Hi, Mary! I ran across this quote from Jack White – a well known artist from Texas who passed away a few years ago. It goes along with your comments.
“Man doesn’t create art, we make it. Only God can take absolutely nothing and create something. We don’t create anything; we put several existing objects together to build an art piece.” Jack White
truth and it’s paradoxically liberating. Thanks for reading Leslie
Mary, I could not agree more with the thoughts you expressed.
It is exciting to have ‘something’ spark a thought or bring forth a different way of looking at life and do something about it based on how God created us and how He wants us to use our creative gifts.
God left us a lot to explore. It is one of the joys of living and relating to Him, to the world, and to each other.
Hi Lynn, thanks for reading and commenting. yes JOY sourced and ultimately from Him, even and most especially in the time we’re living in. I copied this down on the plane, watching Tolkein’s story. His art came out of devastation, he journeyed forward from that, and he said to the Mother of a dead friend after WW1 “I do not think there’s anything more necessary, especially now”