Thursday, October 19, 2006

The altered state and the artist…

Altered states and creating work...?

How does this affect you?

I know for me altered states act as tools/crutches to assist in the expression of repressed issues/emotions or at the very least an uninhibitor.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about this…and wondering how it affects other artists.

Please let me know.

T.


20 comments:

D.Macri said...

Haha, a hot topic on this blog. I'm sure we discussed it a couple times, but I can't find the post to refer you to. In short, some people said (foremost being goldstar) they think it's of extreme benefit to change your state (mostly speaking of an induced chemical change)while others think you shouldn't take drugs to have a good time/make art. I personally think my state changes naturally with art-making and that is ideal/truer/cheaper/safer. As could be expected with a group of people, the full range is there. I'll let the other cats get into the details of specific pro's n con's if they want.

TheBlueMask said...

every painting I`ve done represents an evening (or few) of decadent debauchery.

Anonymous said...

Every raod leads to G-d.

Anonymous said...

You just have to figure out what raod is and your set.

=)

Anonymous said...

LOL!

ngegbxp = raod

Lorne Roberts said...

you also have to figure out the diff between "you're" and "your", and use them correctly (unlike anon here), and then one is REALLY set. :) :) :)

(i'm just being silly-- no harm intended, for rizzo).

as we've discussed before, though, my experience (like others, i'm sure) has been varied. coffee, booze, yerba mate, etc etc, in large doses, can sometimes be a vital creative tool. and then you try it again, and again and again, and it can just hinder you, b/c you cross the line from using it as a tool to becoming dependent on it physically, chemically, emotionally, etc. i speak from experience here when i say that's not the best place to be.

i think that (for me, anyway), if you absolutely positively can't create art while sober, and need the induced breakthrough, then eventually it's not your voice in the art, it's the voice of the drug or whatever.

like macro, i've found that when i really immerse myself in something i'm working on (even a boring "commission" work as opposed to artsy stuff) my mind goes to the same place anyway as it would when induced by drugs of any sort, and it's better b/c i'm not fighting off the crash/burnout/gut rot, headache, etc at the same time.

running or exercizing is a great natural high.
after a 40-minute run (you hear that KRAHN? CARLOS? that's right, i said 40 minutes!) i feel high for many, many hours and i produce far more than i would after drinking a few beers or whatever.

Lorne Roberts said...

however, sometimes after a few beers i sit down at the computer and magical things happen.

usually, though, i just end up looking at car crash videos and checking football scores.

J C said...

I can't imagine designing anything under any sort of substance. I need my brain to be working fully charged of its own volition.

renamaphone said...

you seriously can't imagine it James?

Is that evidence of memory loss?

:)

Stan Dangerman said...

LOL!!!

Ted said...

Yeah yeah...

As if James...

FYI... I'm wasn't speaking from desperate state...

But I laughed out loud when I read thebluemask's comment, as some of the best pieces I have come from that kind of state... especially collabs...

Anyway, I need a drink...

Thanks u'all

T.

ungbsrpv (ungbiserpiv - def: relating to or considering endless days of loneliness watching car crashes and football stats)

Lorne Roberts said...

p.s. is that a ted painting?

Ted said...

stona lisa

RODRIGO PRADEL said...

y'know for me its' allover the place..
For the most part i am sober when paintin' or sketchin' = but every so often i will pop open something to guzzle.
I guess right now - since my apartment is my studio - it's easier to load up while painting - my bed is in the next room and i usually crash around 6am.
But back when i shared a studio - the few of us would have a fridge full of stuff on the weekends - it was fun -

I remember one night i decided to crash at the studio over night, so i kept drinking while everyone left, guess i was still in the zone - well anyways when i woke up - i didn't even realize it but i had painted a self portrait in my stupor state - i like it alot actually even though i don't completely remember painting it.

Gots to admit it - i love my poison

TheBlueMask said...

it`s kind of like knowing when to hand over the car keys. ( with waaaay less consequences of course) when I start making bad strokes, I put down the brushes.

Ted said...

yeah...shit yo.

The late night stupors...

Speaking of which...it the Woodbine still open...

TheBlueMask said...

say "Hi" to Elsie for me!

Ted said...

Else is my Oma's name...and it's fitting that the toughest/sweetest barmaid that I have ever met, shares the name...

What the hell does she call me when I go in there..."heya, sweetheart"…she's a true gem...

Really the spelling is irelevent; I just know how to spell the one I made birthday and valentines cards for when I was 5-11 years old...


hirrk...nice...I like it

TheBlueMask said...

That was really a shot in the dark. I wonder why I chose that name?

Ted said...

I can't speak to naming...and my deductive reasoning skills are mediocre at best..., but, name + name = name...

that is funny to me...nice