Art and Technology

[jbseth]

Hi All,

I'm continually amazed at how synchronous events seem to keep occurring here.

Recently as a result of ESP Experiment 003, we've been talking about Vitruvian Man.  Furthermore, recently, I've been reading DEaVF2.

This morning, I happened to read Chapter 7, Session 913. In this session, it turns out that Seth says quite a bit about drawing, art, art history, Leonardo Da Vinci's art, and the movement of art in the direction of technology.   

I'll post the portion of this session that pertains to these topics in the spoiler below. While it's rather long, it's also quite interesting.


While I was reading this session, the following question occurred to me.

Given what Seth has to say about drawing, art, Leonardo Da Vinci's art, and the movement of art toward technology in this session, if Leonardo Da Vinci would have been brought up in a world that was exposed to Seth's philosophy, instead of the Roman Catholic Church belief system, and if he would have drawn or painted a picture of "All That Is", what do you suppose it would have looked like?

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-jbseth

[Deb]

OK, this is a super cool topic for me. I agree we here have been having many synchronistic events, which to me is very rewarding. While we may not have many things in common (just assuming that, based on my relationships with others), we do share an appreciation, knowledge and familiarity of the Seth materials. And so we tend to look at things differently than most, and notice synchronicities many others do not.

First, one little inconsequential thing: When I see DEaVF my mind first sees it as Da Vinci. I know better, but that's what happens in my brain.

This session 913 is very interesting to me, I need to read it a few more times. Geez, when people (myself included) question(ed) if Seth was the real deal, stuff like this reinforces that Jane was not making all of this up. There is no way one person could contain all of this information and knowledge based on life experiences or education.

I did see a Da Vinci exhibit at the Denver Natural History Museum a few months ago and was disappointed in that the focus was his "contraptions" rather than his art. There was nothing authentic, it was mostly his inventions created by people. Some were interactive. Which was cool enough in itself, but not what I expected. He has been a long-time hero of mine.

if Leonardo Da Vinci would have been brought up in a world that was exposed to Seth's philosophy, instead of the Roman Catholic Church belief system, and if he would have drawn or painted a picture of "All That Is", what do you suppose it would have looked like?

That is a GREAT question. My first thought was something like the photos of the cosmos. I'm attaching a couple that caught my attention. If Da Vinci had painted like this, we would not know who he was today. He probably would have been burned at the stake.

The third attachment is a painting I did a few years ago that I just now remembered. I tend to be too literal in my painting, which I want to overcome. One day I was at a friend's house. She had created a Meet-up painting group. She's a full-time artist and does "energy" paintings—so, very abstract. She talks incessantly while painting and kept chiding me into doing something abstract, telling me I was fighting with the paint, etc. I decided to stop thinking and started pushing paint around on the canvas. This is what painted itself. I've only kept the painting because it's unique for me, being an abstract. Kinda cosmic.

[LarryH]

I tend to be too literal in my painting, which I want to overcome.

Deb, that could have been a quote from me a month ago. When I was studying industrial design, we were taught the conceptual method of "empathic drawing". This was to be done quickly, while being in touch with the "feeling" or emotional expression of the object that we wanted to design. Then selecting the ideas that most pleasantly expressed that feeling, we would attempt to retain that expression while also including the realities of fit and function, that is, applying "thinking" to the product without losing that aesthetic spark. In the movie At Eternity's Gate, Vincent Van Gogh says, "Painting must be done quickly." I think that this is an expression of painting empathically.

I decided to stop thinking and started pushing paint around on the canvas. This is what painted itself.

Deb, that is a really beautiful painting. After I saw that aforementioned movie, I wrote a note in preparation for a larger presentation: "In the movie, Van Gogh says, when asked why he paints, 'I paint to stop thinking.' This appeared to be his way of meditating, and to be immersed emotionally with nature. What I would like to do, since I no longer have to worry about fit and function, is to 'stop thinking to paint'."

So we are on the same wavelength on that. Now, one more little synchronicity: That image that I posted in ESP Experiment #003 showing the Vitruvian Man in the background and the spiral on the floor was from the museum in Denver.

[jbseth]

Hi Deb,

I definitely second LarryH's comment that this painting is beautiful. In addition to this, I really do think that you very well captured what Leonardo da Vinci might have painted as "All That Is".

You said, "I decided to stop thinking and started pushing paint around on the canvas. This is what painted itself."

Seth tells us that the self that we are, has levels; the ego self, the inner self, the entity, etc.

I don't think that this is what painted itself. Instead I think that what happened here, was that your ego self, your intellectual self, stepped out of the way and let another part of you, perhaps your inner self, your dream self, who is much more in touch with Framework 2, to come through and paint.

Awesome job. 

-jbseth

[Deb]

When I was studying industrial design, we were taught the conceptual method of "empathic drawing".

It sounds like a class I need to take. Well, there's room for all sorts of artists, but it's my desire to be looser and more rustic with my painting technique. It doesn't help that the first art classes I took as an adult were Botanical Illustration. I did really well with that.

Now, one more little synchronicity: That image that I posted in ESP Experiment #003 showing the Vitruvian Man in the background and the spiral on the floor was from the museum in Denver.

Wow, that's incredible! [as she shakes her head]

I don't think that this is what painted itself. Instead I think that what happened here, was that your ego self, your intellectual self, stepped out of the way and let another part of you, perhaps your inner self, your dream self, who is much more in touch with Framework 2, to come through and paint.

Yep, I agree. Sometimes I have to get really angry with myself when I paint, which pushes me into painting faster, more aggressively and with emotion. Often those paintings are the ones I like the most.

Thanks to you both for saying my painting is beautiful. It's special to me mainly because it seemed to grow into something before my eyes and when done it appeared to be a little like how I envision ATI.

I really loved the quotes from Eternity's Gate. I'd not seen that, now I need to. I did see the animated Loving Vincent, which was amazing and mind-boggling. I do have to stop thinking to paint, at least to a degree. I remember one experience where I was working on an illustration of a flower, and I was so focused on really seeing the inner workings of the flower (stamen, pistil, pollen) rather than allowing my left brain to make it into a caricature, that I almost felt like I'd traveled into the flower, like something out of Alice in Wonderland. I can see likening creating art with meditation. I have an old book The Zen of Seeing, Seeing/Drawing as Meditation that I read probably 25 years ago. Time to read it again. One of my favorite quotes came from that book:

"I have learned that what I have not drawn, I have never really seen, and that when I start drawing an ordinary thing I realize how extraordinary it is..."

UPDATE: We have a new member, Eduard, who posted on a few topics here today. I was just looking at one about probable selves et al and saw this from me:

for all of my life I've yearned to be an artist. So there are probable selves of me doing those things, while in this life my work has been very different than those yet in my personal life I gravitate towards animals, gardening and creating art in different ways. There are times I get strong urges to paint and don't follow through, and I wonder if this is some sort of bleed-through impulse from a probable self. Once I was painting and got very frustrated. I was not happy with the way it was turning out. I got angry enough that I just let go of caring how the painting would turn out and started quickly and loosely stabbing paint onto canvas. It turned out to be one of my better paintings and I have to wonder if one of my other selves, probable or incarnation, stepped in when I let go.

The painting was not the one I showed here, but of my now "ex" horse done a few years ago. There are things I would change in it, but this was painted quickly and with complete abandon, making it one of my favorites for that reason.

I was surprised to see "I have to wonder if one of my other selves, probable or incarnation, stepped in when I let go." Hmmmm.

[LarryH]

Beautiful!

[jbseth]

Hi Deb,

Wow, that is a really awesome and beautiful painting of your ex horse.

You've got quite a talent there.

Very nice Deb.   

- jbseth

[T.M.]

Hi All,

Hi Deb, I agree with Jbseth, you definitely have a talent for painting! I'm not sure which one I like more, the horse or eye!
That eye painting would make an awesome print!!  I would get it in a heartbeat.

[Deb]

Wow, thanks guys! @T.M. if you really mean that, I'd be glad to scan the picture and send you a jpg. When you see it in person you can decide whether you want to print it or not. Costco does an awesome job for "almost free." It's 16x20 but you don't have to print it that large.

I'm still not sure I like it myself, but it's unique for me to do something abstract, so it's a nice reminder for me.

[T.M.]

Hi Deb, Yes, Thank You, I would love a .jpg of the eye.

[Deb]

Awesome! I'll scan it tomorrow and depending on the file size will either attach the file here or put it on Dropbox and add the link.      

[T.M.]

Hi Deb,  Right On!! 

[jbseth]

Hi Deb,

Is there any way that I could get a copy too. 

I mean it, I really think that you've got something there.


Also, if it's not too much trouble, is there any way that you could sign it. Maybe digitally, if not otherwise.
I'd like to hang it somewhere in my house.

Your paintings really are that good. You should seriously think about showing / selling them.

- jbseth

[Deb]

Hi jbseth, funny you mention signing it because when I pulled it out the other day I realized I never bothered to sign it. Which I've done now.

Wow, you want to hang it? I don't even have it hanging in my house! But I do have other pictures I've painted over the years, it just takes me forever to paint. I keep telling myself one day I'll retire and have more time to do that. It would be nice the sell them, after all there are just so many paintings one person can keep around the house. I remember the artist in the movie Amelie who kept painting Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party painting over and over... he had like a whole closet full of them. 

I've put the file up on Dropbox, it's there for anyone who wants it. The link is https://www.dropbox.com/s/g4d25k6y6qhbn28/self.jpg.zip?dl=0. Just click on the three dots to the right side of the page and choose Download. Once downloaded, you can double click on the file and it will unzip.

Just had a funny thought: This is the epitome of art and technology. I painted some art and now it's being shared electronically. 

[T.M.]

Thank You Deb 

[Deb]

My pleasure! 

[jbseth]

Hi Deb,

Yes, Deb, thank you very much.

Your painting, "The inner Self" really speaks to me.
It's really quite awesome and I think it captures the concept of the inner self very, very well.

Thanks again.

-jbseth