Ask any group of artists what they think of playing music while they work and you'll get an earful of lively opinions. Some will say they need complete silence in order to concentrate. Others will say they can't work without music. Some will say they like to play only certain kinds of music -- country western, or classical, or jazz, for example. Others will say they play all different kinds of music, everything from New Age to Rap and everything else in between.
When I rented studio space I used to long to play music at full blast in my studio (clearly I'm not one of the "silence is golden" crowd) but it wouldn't have been neighborly. In both of those studio spaces sound carried, so I was reluctant to disturb everyone around me.
Now that I have a studio all to myself, with the closest neighbor acres away, I don't hesitate to crank up the volume. My favorite CD at present is the soundtrack to the movie "Oblivion." The musical score is by M83 and I love, love, love it. It covers a whole range of expression, from achingly poignant to darkly dramatic. (Another reason Oblivion is near and dear: our niece, who works in production design, had a hand in making this film.) Other favorites are Sarah Brightman, Josh Groban, Secret Garden, Alan Jackson, Simon and Garfunkel and Celtic Woman. I think of all these artists as creative partners of sorts. They play an important role in my daily routine.
Rather than being a hindrance, music gets me into the "zone" very quickly and helps keep me focused. I'm not sure why, all I know is that when I work to music I get so much more accomplished than when I work in silence. Why this is so is a mystery. I'd love to know if anyone has done some research on this subject of working (or not) to music. How do you see it? Do you play music while you work, or do you need silence to get things done? Do you prefer a certain kind of music over others? Does it have an effect on your productivity? I invite you to click on "Comments" and share your thoughts.
©2014 Lynn Edwards
Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Thursday, August 11, 2011
The Secret of Bagger Vance
Watched The Legend of Bagger Vance last night. I needed a break from my frenetic preparations for next month's studio artists' show, and this movie about a golfing has-been's comeback just fit the bill. I'm not a golfer but my husband The Wizard is, so we settled in to enjoy the flick with two entirely different agendas: his to immerse himself in all things golf, and mine to take a brief respite from all things art.
The story line and the striking cinematography grabbed me right away. It was set in Savannah, one of my favorite places. Though I don't know a birdie from a plover, I was immediately entranced as I watched the war damaged young golfer (Matt Damon) coached back into both the game and life under the tutelage of a mysterious, sage-like caddy, played by Will Smith.
One of the secrets the caddy teaches his charge is to focus solely on the flag marking the location of the hole as he prepares to swing. To exclude from consciousness all other distractions -- to focus exclusively on the flag and the envisioned trajectory of the ball. To engage both body and mind so completely on the joyful act of delivering the ball to the flag that all other distractions simply fade away. The goal, the caddy reveals, is to meld oneself so totally into the moment and the purpose at hand that you achieve -- however briefly -- unity with the ineffable.
Wow. This exactly describes what happens on those very memorable magical days when the art seems to make itself and every color, texture and gestural stroke on the canvas seems to come from a place so much grander and greater than ourselves. When five or six hours fly by but you could swear it was merely an hour ago that you took up a brush. When you step back from the painting and wonder from where and how such delightful nuances of color came to be when you have no recollection whatsoever of having painted them. Oh yes, I think artists can soooo relate to that sublime sense of timelessness and oneness as described by caddy Bagger Vance.
Watching the credits roll at the end (we have a niece in the film business so we always watch the credits) I learned The Legend of Bagger Vance was authored by Steven Pressfield. Who happens to also be the author of The War of Art, a wonderful book about the creative process and its challenges. Thank you so much, Mr. Pressfield, for giving us both. My intent in watching The Legend of Bagger Vance was to take a break from art. Instead it reminded me in a profoundly moving way just why I love it so much. This movie both relaxed me and renewed me. Today as I painted in my studio I could swear I heard Bagger Vance whispering softly in my ear.
The story line and the striking cinematography grabbed me right away. It was set in Savannah, one of my favorite places. Though I don't know a birdie from a plover, I was immediately entranced as I watched the war damaged young golfer (Matt Damon) coached back into both the game and life under the tutelage of a mysterious, sage-like caddy, played by Will Smith.
One of the secrets the caddy teaches his charge is to focus solely on the flag marking the location of the hole as he prepares to swing. To exclude from consciousness all other distractions -- to focus exclusively on the flag and the envisioned trajectory of the ball. To engage both body and mind so completely on the joyful act of delivering the ball to the flag that all other distractions simply fade away. The goal, the caddy reveals, is to meld oneself so totally into the moment and the purpose at hand that you achieve -- however briefly -- unity with the ineffable.
Wow. This exactly describes what happens on those very memorable magical days when the art seems to make itself and every color, texture and gestural stroke on the canvas seems to come from a place so much grander and greater than ourselves. When five or six hours fly by but you could swear it was merely an hour ago that you took up a brush. When you step back from the painting and wonder from where and how such delightful nuances of color came to be when you have no recollection whatsoever of having painted them. Oh yes, I think artists can soooo relate to that sublime sense of timelessness and oneness as described by caddy Bagger Vance.
Watching the credits roll at the end (we have a niece in the film business so we always watch the credits) I learned The Legend of Bagger Vance was authored by Steven Pressfield. Who happens to also be the author of The War of Art, a wonderful book about the creative process and its challenges. Thank you so much, Mr. Pressfield, for giving us both. My intent in watching The Legend of Bagger Vance was to take a break from art. Instead it reminded me in a profoundly moving way just why I love it so much. This movie both relaxed me and renewed me. Today as I painted in my studio I could swear I heard Bagger Vance whispering softly in my ear.
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