Art Appreciation

Module 4 L 1
Lesson 1
Soul Making in Art

Learning Objectives

In this lesson, you will:

Develop student’s artistic potentials through soul making.

INTRODUCTION

A s Dr. Norman Narciso, one of the leading Filipino thought leaders in the art world, deeply

explains soulmaking, "Soulmaking is an alternate place to know oneself and to look at the depths and
meaning of what we do in our daily lives.” Soulmaking is a step towards a deeper comprehension of
how the world is perceived and how his or her own personality is seen.

Soul making plays a major role in art-production; it is a form of crafting stories, transforming
brief moments into images, symbols that connect with people, understanding culture and embodying
tolerance, peace, and imagination.

Knowing oneself

In soul making, "who are you" is the topic that throughout the process serves as a guidepost.
Knowing oneself begins with consciousness. In order to start the process, it is necessary to realize
and embrace one's truth, history and understanding of existence. With this new found insight, art,
which is actually the very core of soul-making, can now come into play. Therefore, it is not so much
the production that is mostly taken into account, but the method of perceiving anything.

Depths and essence

Soulmaking is more than the soul's religious perspective. Soul refers to a person's
individuality that resonates with his or her behavior. Since art is a human expression that is highly
valued and symbolic, a person typically uses different art forms to fulfill the need to communicate and
express him or herself. The human desire to actualize his or her very being is strongly assisted by
soulmaking.

What we are doing

Art gives a person a sense of purpose about what he or she is doing. As any artwork is an
expression of one's perceptions, feelings, emotions, and realities, the key to personal cultural growth
is the process of creating such expression. Soulmaking utilizes every human experience to build the
influence that can make the artist himself and others improve.

Everyday life

Life includes a lot of adventure, understanding the challenges that come with each adventure,
and understanding how each person has a unique way of perceiving things as life happens to them.
Soulmaking is a method that can be gone through by anyone. As all are creative in their own right, it
is not limited to the "obviously artistic". It's just a matter of losing yourself in the art of viewing the
world from a different perspective and detaching yourself from yourself.

Categories of Soul Making

Crafting Images –Crafting images includes the production, by various forms and methods, of
visual representations of images. Any art form such as drawing, sketching, and sculpting can
be used to perform this process. Dancing, poetry (or black-out poetry), musical instrument
playing, and even filmmaking may also do this.

Crafting Stories – He or she is already creating stories when an individual writes down his or
her own personal feedback, life values, deep feelings, ideas, ideals, and even high and low
emotions. Similar to crafting images, he or she may be portrayed by different means when
one craft story is presented. Stories can be relayed via vivid photos, calming music, and
impactful sentences.

Crafting Instruments – Crafting instruments are treated as "a bridge to the unknown
because the instrument creates sounds that exceed our thoughts, emotions, and sensations.
The soul is accompanied by a vessel so that the soul will not disappear." Instruments help
people explore the magic behind music and its unique impact on a person. Such musical
instruments can establish the soul's harmonious sustenance and the mind's balance.

Crafting Movements – Life is movement, according to Dr. Narciso (2016). [One's] life is full
of different rhythms. "Our life is full of movements, it is full of different rhythms, life is full of
flowing images accompanied by narratives, and this melodic flow symbolizes how the
universe gives every human being the ability in their respective lives to experience the highs
and lows." For artists who are more inclined to crafting movement, the pattern that life serves
a person provides a source of inspiration.

Crafting Techniques – Crafting techniques in soulmaking are the artist's reflection of his life
and experiences in any piece of art. The approach, preferably, should be methodological. A
soulmaker, though, when he executes his creative expression, is unbounded.

5 Phases of Soul Making

1. Seeking – The first step is seeking or finding. At this point, we recognize that each of us
who are interested in our own growth and the ways of our world is a 'seeker.' We are
looking for a discipline or method that can help us live in and make sense of the world
and heal the wounds of 'self.'
 The best thing about searching is that it is a vital stage in our growth as soul builders.
It gives us the tools to live our lives, and if we systematically look, we find that in some
integral sense, these tools and practices can be fitted together, allowing us to settle
down, moving us on to a practice or cluster of practices that satisfy our creativity and
passion, and that we can then spend time perfecting.

2. Settling – Soul making is about communicating as profoundly as possible with the soul,
with other human and non-human beings (and this means the future of humans and non-
humans) and with the world. If we are perpetually wondering, we cannot do this. We must
find ourselves settled at some point in our lives.

3. Surrender – If it is permitted to surrender, with all its pain and vulnerability, something
magical will happen. We tend to note in the midst of the crashing that our activities begin
to be in the service of the soul. The capacity to surrender, of course, is restricted by the
amount of pain and uncertainty that we can bear! True surrender takes us up and throws
us down; calls for the wounds we bear to be accepted; forces us to spend time living in
the darkness.

4. Soulmaking – At some point in the variations between the Settling and Surrender dual
polarities, we begin to perceive our practice and life in the universe as Soul Making. We
are beginning to become an expert, an injured healer. We're starting to grow up enough
to feed our girls, our children, our children. We accept that there's no way to ever get it
right.

Soul Making is the fourth stage, in which the individual transitions from a stage of
improving reflective practice to becoming a practitioner of soul making. However, this is
still not to be completely settled in, since it holds all the strengths and disadvantages of
the previous levels. Both of us have to keep looking. Throughout life, we all settle and re-
settle. We would all be met with the psyche 's appeal for submission, over and over
again. And it will constantly call upon our capacity to care and nurture (others and the
world).

5. Soaring – When we begin the journey, what we most wish is to soar. To conquer our
worldly experience's material realities-to travel. It will not happen, however, if we only
want to fly, nor can the psychological version of a spaceship or airplane be created by
ourselves. What may be true is that we could find ourselves soaring, together, engulfed in
the air and sky, by enabling ourselves to pass through the stages of Soul Making.

Soulmaking: Making and Deriving Meaning from Art

Semantics and grammatical rules are essential elements to remember in order for human
beings to make sense of language and derive meanings from words. Apart from this, it is often known
that meaning and symbolisms view and evaluate either verbal or written works. In terms of art, it
would involve understanding the visual elements on which art was focused, particularly the concepts
of design, in order for people to make sense of the work. It is important to remember that the viewer
must have a certain degree of understanding of the work 's style, shape, and material. It would be
impossible to appreciate the visual arts in their fullness and completeness without such
understanding.
Improvisation

It is possible to describe improvisation as doing something without previous planning. There

is a decision to act upon something that might not be expected necessarily. Improvisation has
become an important part of the arts within the present context. Some would claim that during the
twentieth century, it was a response to the stiffness of the arts. There is a call for emancipation from
monotony aimed at rekindling people's creative spirits in the arts.

Infusing spontaneity and improvisation adds up to the totality of the work of art for certain
artists. The unpredictability of the changes brought on by improvisation enables the artwork to have a
distinctive quality that creates its identity and uniqueness. The principle of allowing opportunities in
the process of making the work is supported by some artists. Artists would like, for instance, to depict
the darkness brought on at night by an incoming storm or the beauty of a meteor shower. Since they
do not inherently have total influence over natural phenomena, their dependency on opportunities
may not necessarily deliver their anticipated result. Artists who encourage their subjects to improvise
can often have entirely different outcomes.

Appropriation

Throughout history, appropriation of art has been a common occurrence. In the past, an
apprentice painter would be able to use his master 's work to copy if he wanted to hone his skills in
his art. It is as if the apprentice is attempting to explore what he is more familiar with through his
personal application of techniques. There are, however, several individuals who have reached the
extreme by assuming that an artist 's exact artwork is replicated and credited to himself. This could
pose a problem with authorship in particular. The issue occurs when the artist of appropriation gets
bits and pieces from other works and incorporates these elements into his own work. Furthermore,
when appropriation artists escape responsibility for putting the specifics of other works and
incorporating them into their own, with that of the appropriation artist, their voices and perceptions of
the other artists are lost.

A very thin demarcation line seems to exist between the art of appropriation and forgery.
Forgery can historically be categorized into two forms: outright copies of existing works and
pastiches, which are works that incorporate elements of a work and infuse them into a new work. But
forgery may be in the form of making an interpretation of what an artist might do by prediction in
contemporary times. This can be accomplished by studying the techniques and style used by the
artist and also the focal points highlighted in his past and present works. Since problems of plagiarism
or forgery often arise, the motives of the appropriation artists are sometimes challenged. Some would
say that the purpose behind the appropriation is that they want the audience to remember the images
they replicated. There is a desire on the artist's part that the audiences will see a new take on the
original work.

7 da Vincian Principles

What does it mean to be genius? Is genius born or made – or both? The idea of "genius
thinking" can sound rather overwhelming, but you'll be pleased to find that it's simpler and a lot more
enjoyable than you thought. The method of Leonardo will affirm many of your own strongest intuitions
as to how you can access your own ability. Here are the seven genius principles of Leonardo da Vinci
that will open your imaginative aorta and unleash your genius.
1. Curiosità – is an insatiably curious approach to life and unrelenting quest for continuous
learning.

Da Vinci was not the only one to represent a nearly unlimited supply of curiosity. Some of the
great inventors and leaders of humanity have the ability to unlock life's mysteries. think about
curiosity in 2 basic questions:

a. What if?

b. How come?

What If: Ask your brain to project into the future. It encourages you to see options where you
might have overlooked them, it allows you to make connections and it is a sneaky way to get
your brain more goaloriented. What if I started this person's conversation? What if I
attempted a new activity like this? What if I began the new schedule of workouts? Usually,
what happens after 'what if...' is mystical.

How Come: How come brings you to 'Why'. Instead of watching the environment passively or
going through reflex replies, 'how come' makes you challenge both your actions and the
intentions of others. Da Vinci didn't waste his life for a second. He was making and guessing
and tinkering all the time. 'How come' allows you to use a mission every second of your life.

Here are some ways you can capture more Curiosita:

• A Hundred Questions: Write down 100 questions that are important to you. These
could be questions you wish to answer yourself such as, “What is my purpose?” or
“What is the meaning of life?” or questions you want to know about everyone you
meet like, “What is your passion? or “What makes you happy?” This is the ultimate
‘what if’ and ‘how come’ exercise.

• Ten Power Questions: After you have brainstormed a list of 100 questions, select
the 10 that have the most powerful impact when you read them. Which ones spark a
feeling of motivation or achievement? These are your catalyst questions. For
example:
o When am I most naturally myself?
o What is my greatest talent? o What is my heart’s
deepest desire?

 Daily Themes: Da Vinci was an avid writer and note taker. He had a journal
everywhere he went. I have a journal at my desk AND at my bed to take notes when
all kinds of ideas pop into my head. Carry a journal with you everywhere and write
down your ideas and observations. Each day, choose a theme or word. You can do
this at the beginning of the day to set the intention or at the end of the day as a cool
down or wrap-up.

2. Dimostrazione – is a commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence and a

willingness to learn from mistakes. Dimostrazione is the embodiment of your own hands
controlling your life. This principle tells us:
 a. Test every idea.
b. Don’t take anything for granted.
c. Experience life first hand.

For instance, If I take this personal growth lesson, then I expect to be healthier. Or as simple
as if I were reorganizing my wardrobe, then in the morning it would be easier to get dressed.
The 'If ..., then ...' exercise places you in the mood of chance-hunting, so you still look for and
try alternatives.

Here are some ways you can capture more Dimostrazione:

• Find Your Greats: You have probably heard of all the most popular artists and
authors, but who are your favorites? Set out to find your greats. Don’t take anyone
else’s word for it. Start your own search for the artists, classical musicians or writers
that inspire you. Go to a museum and look at the paintings without glancing at the
names.

• Be Devil’s Advocate: Try playing devil’s advocate against yourself. Try making the
strongest possible argument against one of your own beliefs just for the mental
exercise. Write at least 3 points against yourself.

3. Sensazione – is the continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to
enliven experience.

Fill in the blank:

___is so beautiful.
I love the way _____
smells. What a lovely
_____.

I adore the feeling of ____ on my skin.

The sound of ____ is music to my ears.

We forget to savor and sensualize our experiences. We all heard, 'Stop and smell the roses,'
but when did you actually stop and smell the roses for the last time? Yes, literal roses, but
metaphorical roses as well. When did you stop for the last time to savor an experience? Da
Vinci was unbelievably inspired by the world around him and the more he honed his senses,
the greater his genius became.

Here are some ways you can capture more Sensazione:

A Sense a Day: Plan out 5 experiences in the next few months where you practice honoring
each of your senses.

• For smell, go to the local botanical gardens, make your own perfume or cologne and
learn to recognize herbs by their scent at the local grocery store.
 • For taste, (this one is easy!) eat a bunch of your favorite foods and try one new
cuisine. Figure out your favorite spice.

• For sight, go to your local museum, then hike to a vista or view point and learn some
new photography techniques.

• For touch, go to your local animal shelter and volunteer petting pups and kitties. Go
through your closet and organize it by fabric. Go shopping and try to buy one new
fabric you have never owned before.

• For hearing, go to a concert, stop by your local music store and try to play an
instrument you have never heard before. If you are really ambitious, try to learn bird
mating calls or spend some time trying to draw sound. For example, if you had to
draw the sound of a trumpet, how would you do it?

4. Sfumato – is a willingness to embrace confusion, paradox, and confusion. Da Vinci had a

very special capacity to comprehend the extreme opposites of views and phenomena. He
was also able to explore and revel in the uncertainty of unknowns. Most of us are
uncomfortable with questions not being known or unanswerable, so we avoid anything
beyond our control. We stick to what we know and do a Google search right away the
moment we don't know something.

Here are some ways you can capture more Sfumato:

• Stop Googling: For the next week, anytime you need to look up a word or trivia fact,
try to guess the answer instead. You can phone a friend for help as well, as long as
they brainstorm with you too!

• Embrace Your Ambiguity: List some situations from your life where you are confused
or feel ambiguous about an outcome and explore the feelings that come up.

• Cultivate Confusion Endurance: Tap into your own paradoxes by asking questions
like, “How are my strengths and weaknesses related?” or “What is the relationship
between my saddest moments and the most joyful ones?”

5. Arte/Scienza – is the development of the balance between science and art, logic and
imagination.

Although Da Vinci was not around for the right and left-brain learning experiments, this notion
speaks directly to the whole brain thinking idea. Label the declarations that sound like you:

Right Brained:

___ I like details

___ I am almost always on time
___ I rely on logic
___ I am skilled at math
___ I am organized and disciplined
___ I like lists
 Left Brained:

___ I am highly imaginative

___ I am good at brainstorming
___ I love to doodle
___ I often say or do the unexpected
___ I rely on intuition
___ I often lose track of time

6. Corporalitá - The cultivation of beauty, inborn talent, fitness and poise is called Corporalita. In
addition to his intellectual ability, Da Vinci was unbelievably athletic. From early on, he knew
that his body also had to be in top shape if he wanted his mind to work at optimum levels.

Here are some ways you can capture more Corporalita:

• Learn the Science of Eating: I did a whole post on the science of eating on some
really easy ways to make your food intake more purposeful.

• Get on a Sleep Schedule: Everyone has different sleep needs and different sleep
rhythms. For the next week, track your sleep times and hours and see which days
you have the most energy. Are you a night worker? A morning person? Learn your
cycles and then honor them by building a sleep routine.

• Cultivate Ambidexterity: Da Vinci used both his right and left hands as he worked.
You can do this by trying to brush your teeth with your non dominant hand or get a
really patient person to play a game of pool, tennis or catch where you switch hands!

7. Connessione – is a recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things

and phenomena.

Here are some ways you can capture more Connessione:

• What’s Your Book Outline? If you had to create a table of contents for a book about
your life, what would it be if you couldn’t make it chronological?

• 3 Objects: Pick 3 random objects in your house. If you had to find connections
between them, what would they be? For example, I chose my blender, my garage
clicker and a bottle of nail polish. Can you think of three connections? I thought: With
all three of these things, the faster they work, the better. The faster the blender, the
better the smoothie, the faster the garage door opens, the faster I get home and the
faster my polish dries, the less risk there is of my mushing up my toe nails. This is a
great one to play with kids!