Think about a beam of light passing through a crystal. It takes the light in, jumbles it all up, and shoots it out into some crazy pattern. That’s kind of what we do everyday, right? We take in the world around us and put out our perception. Okay, now imagine you spin that crystal on its axis just slightly so the beam of light is now hitting it at a different angle. Same light, same crystal, different pattern.
It’s not a dramatic change, just slightly off. Given the science behind how light works I understand I am taking some poetic liberties with this analogy, but hang with me, there is a point. I thought this whole thing up because of a disagreement with an acquaintance.
We both live in the same town and enjoy the same activities even. But conversation after conversation of listening to this fellow describe the comings and goings and trends of our town, I began to wonder if we indeed lived in the same place after all. I disagreed with every observation he had regarding the ins and outs of our fair city. Now, one could say that I was indeed correct in my assertions and this gentleman is blinded by “me” colored glasses (ahem), or one could simply chalk it up to us viewing our surroundings, this crystal we live in, from different angles.
That got me to thinking. The business of creative entertainment is no different. What is an artist, after all, if not someone who takes the world in, dissects it, and spits out there own version. Whether it’s music, visual art, or literature. (Attention kids: Literature is when written words were used to tell stories). Let’s face it, some collaborations could feel like you’re in the same ballpark playing totally separate games.
I guess the platitude here is to respect everyone’s individual perception and creativity. We are all seeing the same light through the same crystal, just a bit askance. But I feel like there’s room for self exploration in here as well. Have you found yourself trying to explain a concept that no one seems to get? Given a problem, have you assumed everyone was on the same page only to realize you had a totally different solution?
You’re not crazy, and you’re not wrong. Maybe you’re just an artist. So next time, just tell them about the crystal, find your pattern, and go create some art.