Through the Eyes of an Artist

As writers, we initially tend to be either more cerebral or emotional than perceptive. Its occurs to me that writers are driven to express what they actually haven't figured out how to say verbally, but long to say somehow. Then, we at least have the struggle down on paper where we can move it around, erase it, start over and add to it. Seeing the words will perhaps give us a better chance of revising to something close to what we want to say.

Written expression is a bittersweet struggle, according to most writers who've written about writing. The need to write seems to come from a deep need, as I expect does most art. When the words work, we are elated, and when they don't and especially after a long struggle, we're often dismayed or despondent.

We learn when our writing says what we want that it has begun with what we see, touch, smell, hear, and only then with what we make of it by way of our minds and emotions. Surprisingly to both the new writer and the new visual artist, our art, when it is art, comes directly and spontaneously from our senses. It feels almost instinctual and sometimes spiritual when it's right and maybe that tricks us into thinking that art comes from a mystical place. We see the painting or we read the words that make our hearts sing and we almost assume some magical origin.

As we learn, though, when we attempt to create from a mystical place within ourselves, art eludes us. Still, art is an expression that reflects us in some, however obscure, mysterious ways. This said, art is not a quick Polaroid, a case study of a character or the facts of a story laid out upon a page either.

Art intimates a sensual reality, rather than imitating it.

Picture a Van Gogh in your mind. Let the painting flash across your mind's eye. A simple room, the color yellow and other bright and contrasting and complimentary colors; a rough blue shoe bent and shaped to the form of a man's foot; a bright flower open and screaming its vibrant life at you, the viewer; and a tall, dark and texturally swirling tree contrasted by bright white and yellow stars colors. We see that art is shades, values, structure, relationships, textures and forms. We feel a kind of wholeness or joy.

Now, think of Joyce Carol Oates' writing, a woman sitting tensed upon the edge of her seat, holding herself rigid, dressed in gray, a small stain at the white-ringed wrist of the dress. Through quick and telling detail of sight, Oates hints to us of character, scene and thereby, story, without ever filling in all of the numbers. She gives us not an entire snapshot, but an intimation. We strongly suspect that we know the current attitude of the woman. Aha! We read on.

Perceptions, whether expressed by a visual artist, a Van Gogh, or an excellent writer, provide us with sensual hints, drawing us in and wanting more. How exactly Van Gogh will execute the form, what Oates will have her character say and do, are almost imperceptably secondary to the perceptual hints at the realities shared with the viewer or reader. Without these perceptual glimpses, we turn from the work, bored, as bored as by the case study or the Polaroid.

The perception of alertness of Oates' woman begins with a woman. the woman's alertness is told to us in how she actually sits at the edge of her chair. Oates' needn't say, "The woman is alert," because she has shown us. Van Gogh does not need to correctly diagram the shape of his yellow room for us. He has made it just enough the shape of a room and containing what a room might plausibly contain that we instantly believe it to be a room. A diagram of the room would be of little interest.

Upon and through the artist's perceptions, character and story are both built and conveyed, whether painter or writer. In our quest to become fully human, we seek the arts, whether our own creations or others'.

Jolyn Wells-Moran, PhD, wrote while working in the mental health field for 24 years and is now a full-time freelance writer and oil painter living alternately in France and Washington State. She has written four published non-fiction books, many articles, short stories, curricula, business materials and is currently working on a novel, "Another Margarita Please." Another book is planned for 2006. Jolyn's website features one of her specialties, writing policies, procedures and other materials for non-profits at reasonable rates: See http://www.webspawner.com/users/writing adventures/ Her novel is at her fiction website: http://jolynwellsmoran.com and she can be reached at reasonablewriter@yahoo.com

---

Whose Story Is It?

Whenever you sit down to plot a story (or even... Read More

How to Write Articles, Reports, and Books Quickly

Do you have trouble getting your thoughts and ideas down... Read More

Common Writing Mistakes - Are These Holding You Back From Writing Success?

During the years that I've been teaching writing and participating... Read More

Teachers Should Write, During Their Summers

Before I became a teacher, I was a sports writer.... Read More

Five Keys To A Successful Query Letter

Do you know what a query letter is? If so,... Read More

How To Identify Your Own Style Of Writing

This article is to help identify which style, technique or... Read More

Its All About YOU!

The Hottest Word on the WebDid you know marketing people... Read More

Greatness

[When I was a nineteen-year-old high school student and budding... Read More

Autobiography: Installment No.3

ESSAY 3Writing an autobiography involves a matching up of a... Read More

A Plan

All writers should use a plan whether written or reflected.... Read More

Going On A Word Diet

There are three ways to write a first draft. One... Read More

Sense of Place

What is Sense of Place? It's the image of a... Read More

Writing Tips For Novice Authors

If you are reading this article then you probably have... Read More

Publish Your Novel on the First Try

Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side... Read More

8 Advantages to Writing a Book as an Entrepreneur

As an aspiring or an established entrepreneur, you are an... Read More

Zany Ideas That Increase Writing Productivity And Quality

Welcome to the zany ideas of a productive writer. My... Read More

Italics Part 2 - Using Italics to Show Thoughts

Way back in your early school years, you were probably... Read More

Top Ten Great Headline Ideas

What Makes a Great Headline?Headlines are far more important than... Read More

Format Each eBook Chapter Before you Write It

Do you have a problem creating a focus in your... Read More

Rules for Getting the Story Down

1. Write it fast, fix it later.2. Commit to writing... Read More

Writing Query Letters

A QUERY LETTER is written to an editor or agent... Read More

How To Write to a Word Count

You've finished your story, and you're pretty happy with it.... Read More

Arouse Your Short Story And See It Published

Are you ready to abandon your short stories? Before you... Read More

Writing For Free: When & When Not to Do It!

Right off the bat, I want to say that there... Read More

Piecing It All Together

There's a little known secret we writers like to keep... Read More

Does Your Plot Suit Your Characters And Vice-Versa?

Creative Writing Tips ?When an idea comes to us for... Read More

Top 7 Writers Sites for 2005

If you dream of turning your book into a best... Read More

Writers Who Consistently Cut The Mustard Do So Because...

Have you ever wondered why certain writers are able to... Read More

Writing IS a Business

Why is it that so many people don't take writing-as-a-job... Read More

Top Ten Ways to Write Like a Pro Checklist

Sure you can write, but can you write crisp, compelling... Read More

Novel to Screenplay: The Challenges of Adaptation

ADAPTATION 101Brimming with confidence, you've just signed the check purchasing... Read More

8 Tips to Get Publishers to Notice You

If your articles aren't getting published very often, or you... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #3: Richard Bach

One day in the mid-1970's a young man stumbled into... Read More