Heartsong Studio

Hidden Messages

When a work of art grabs your attention, what’s really going on ?  It’s way more than the colours or shapes.  Something is getting into your heart.  It’s not always obvious, or even on purpose.   

Have you seen the film “Babel” ?  There are long scenes where only Arabic, Japanese, Spanish, or English are spoken, with no
translation at all.  The amazing thing is, you understand everything that’s being said !

How can this make sense, when I barely know a word of Arabic, Japanese or Spanish ?  

The same thing is getting through to you when you are powerfully attracted to a work of art.  Apart from the usual ways of “reading” a painting or sculpture, there is a certain something that is communicated to your heart.

In the movie, body language and facial expression played a large role, as well as the actor’s tone of voice.  Yet many of the roles played in Arabic were by non-actors. 

How did they communicate to us ? 
They actually lived the emotions in the roles. 

Just like in your art work, composition, nuance and tone play a part.  Yet if you feel little emotion, that’s what will be
communicated. 

Create any work of art and your state of heart will show, whether you intend it or not.  A certain something gets “spoken” from the heart of the artist, and “heard” in the hearts of the viewers.

You may not even be aware that emotion is there by your own hand.  Whatever your feelings for your subject, these will be communicated to your viewers without fail.  There are no wiggly lines in the air, but like gravity, it is unmistakable.

This is why a school assignment, no matter how well done, is seldom if ever effective in moving you.
 
You can try this experiment yourself.

Find a partner, and have a large sheet of paper to share, crayons or coloured pastels.  You are going to have a visual conversation. One of you starts with an “opening remark”.

There’s no talking, no drawing symbols, no hearts, no arrows, no stars, no lightening bolts, words, or numbers.  How will you “talk”?  You will invent the visual language as you take turns.

You’ll need to watch carefully with your heart as your partner works.  When done, it’s your turn and so on until the conversation feels complete.  Usually doesn’t take longer than 15 minutes.
Then you can talk !
 
Did you stay on your side of the paper, or did your marks touch ?
Did you take a leading role or follow her lead ? 
How did it feel to be seen / not to be seen ?
What did you talk about ?

Each time you do this exercise, it’s completely different.  And you always understand, on some level, what’s being “said”.

The point is to experience how powerful yet subtle communication takes place quite apart from the usually accepted forms.  You can be sure that whenever you make a work of art, the feelings in your heart get through.  By knowing this, you can make your work more effective. 

Get really clear in your heart from the start how you feel about your subject of choice.  Keep checking in to see how this changes
as you go.  Then watch as viewers warm to your hidden messages.