Copyright 2010 Original Music by Grace H Ma "Answering Your Call" (2010) Slides describing my artistic philosophy. Adapted from a classroom thesis on modern art and the perspective it offers.

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The Art of CreationThe Art of Creation
By Grace MaBy Grace Ma

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Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Table of Contents
Prologue
Part A—Where Do We Come
From?
I. Three Artists from the Past
The City of Paris
Discord on Horseback
Fish Tank in the Room
Contextual Investigations
II. Rendezvous in History
Part B—Who Are We?
Part C—Where Are We Going?
Part D—And Me?
Epilogue
Appendix
Credits

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ProloguePrologue
This story is set in an unmarked corner of the
universe: a radioactive particle, million times smaller than a
grain of sand, is emitted from an unknown source and
begins dashing into the outer space at full speed. It doesn’t
know where it is going—it just travels forward, in a straight
line. The further it goes, the faster it accelerates. This little
particle is us—our civilization, our world.

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Just like a beam of radiation forever darting forward,
the human race is on a journey of unparalleled progress.
Automobile, airplane, antibiotics, rocket into the space,
computers and nuclear weapons are all examples of how
much advance humans have made in the past two
centuries. However, as we are progressing in an ever-
quickening pace, nobody can foresee exactly what our
future beholds. Similarly, when we look back at the past, no
one has the answer to how life as we know now had
emerged….

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… These two margins to our understanding and knowledge
of ourselves and the world are what professionals from
past to present had been striving to extend. Throughout the
history of human civilization, scientists, philosophers,
sociologists, anthropologists, literati and artists have all
been exploring the core of being and deciphering the future
of the human race.

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“Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are
we going?” is the title of a painting by French painter Paul
Gaugin. The creation of this masterpiece revealed new
dimensions of the riddle of our existence as human beings.
The original and astonishing inquiries combined with the
powerful image demand that we recognize the core of our
beings by reflecting upon our past, putting our current
situation into context, and forging an outlook into the
future….

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… Here, I want to use the topic of art to explore the core of
my being. Gaugin’s principle of art had made me ponder
my existence in front of his artwork, and I would use the
principle that artworks have the power to transform ideas of
creators into a scope to the future to trace a timeline from
past, present to future. Before this journey begins, I want to
bring up my three questions:

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Why do humans need art?Why do humans need art?
What is the relationshipWhat is the relationship
between art, artists and thebetween art, artists and the
society?society?
How do artists use art toHow do artists use art to
communicate with thecommunicate with the
society?society?

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The first step to unravel the riddle of existence is to
reflect on the past. By investigating the interaction between
artists and the society, we can discover how ideas are
generated under social circumstances and evolve into
artists’ original interpretation of their era. This was evident
in early 20th century Paris, where unprecedented progress
catalyzed a booming epoch of creativity, bringing lasting
and profound changes to the face of the society.

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PART A—WHERE DO WEPART A—WHERE DO WE
COME FROM?COME FROM?

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Paris in the dawn of the 20th century was on the race
towards an unpredictable but exhilarating future. New
records thrilled the society one after the other: France’s first
subway station opened in 1990, pilot Bleroit flew across the
English Channel, painter Picasso revolutionized esthetics
with “The Young Ladies of Avignon”, poet Apollinaire
brought forth new philosophies of life, and, to the glory of all
Parisians, engineer Gustav Eiffel erected the majestic Eiffel
Tower….
I. Three Artists from the PastI. Three Artists from the Past

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… Artists and intellectuals from all around the world poured
into the city in awe of the monumental achievements. Paris
became the focus of the world as well as the heartland
where ideas were generated and exchanged. The open
environment cultivated a diversity of innovative artistic
languages as artists sought to display the maximum of their
creativity. Robert and Sonia Delaunay used vibrant colors
to cheer for their beloved city. Henri Rousseau immersed
himself in Paris’ tropical plant house dreaming of a utopia
of jungles. Henri Matisse escaped the commotion of the
city in search for an idealistic sanctuary for him and his
soul….

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… Although the subjects and content of their works were
very different from each other, all three artists were
successful in bearing witness to their era and present the
aspects of the society they were familiar with.

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Robert Delaunay:Robert Delaunay:
““The City of Paris”The City of Paris”

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In 1912, Robert Delaunay completed the painting “The
City of Paris”. The image is a kaleidoscope of colors that
dance energetically on the canvas, like the boundless
energy of Paris at the time. The blocks of colors break
through the visual illusion in a world ruled by perspectives
and present to us a more realistic view of the world. In his
work, we see a world with many sides, angles, and facets.
This is the characteristic of Cubism. The vibrant light of the
city seems to portray the prospect and optimism in the
Paris society….

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…In the centre of the painting, the Three Graces celebrate
an abundant Parisian life, symbolizing that “spring” is to
befall the city, in reference to a painting entitled “Spring” by
Botticelli. Around the Three Graces are landmarks of Paris
—the Eiffel Tower and the river Seine. There is a feeling of
perpetual motion in the panorama. For Delaunay, art is not
just techniques, but reinvention of the reality.

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Henri Rousseau:Henri Rousseau:
““Discord on Horseback”Discord on Horseback”
(also “War”)(also “War”)

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Throughout his artistic career, Rousseau firmly held on
to the jungle themes in his paintings. Interestingly,
Rousseau had never experienced real tropical jungles—he
assembled them from the plants in the city’s tropical
greenhouse. Sometimes, Rousseau would incorporate his
observations of the society into his jungles, which might
include the ideas he “stole” off the images that were
published in magazines and newspapers. Such was the
case with “Discord on Horseback”, which bears great
resemblance with an illustration for a serial novel….

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…A wild, black horse carrying an angry girl tramps through
a deserted, miserable landscape, leaving behind a field full
of corpses. The dead trees, red clouds and crows pecking
at the bodies add to the bloodcurdling atmosphere. It is a
sincere portrayal of discord that prompts the viewers to
reflect upon the brutal reality of war. Living in the
mainstream society, Rousseau is capable of combining his
jungle dreamland with his experience of the real world.

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Henri Matisse:Henri Matisse:
““Fish Tank in the Room”Fish Tank in the Room”

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The outbreak of World War One in 1914 sent a
shockwave through the intellectual society of Paris. With
the threat of German invasion looming, young artists put
down their paintbrushes to risk their lives on the front line.
Some older artists struggled to keep painting in spite of the
fear and turmoil that were consuming the society, hoping to
testify this story of blood….

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…December that year, Matisse expressed his view of the
world through “Fish Tank in the Room”: no guns, no
rubbles, no deformed and dying soldiers, no blood, just a
simple, everyday setting inside a peaceful room with a fish
tank by the open window. How could Matisse produce such
a serene image in a time of turbulence? Actually, this is the
idealistic world Matisse had pursued all though his life: a
home of peace and salvation for the soul. The items in the
picture—the open window, art studio and goldfish—
alleviate the pressure off people’s minds. The stable lines
and tones of the colors construct the calming atmosphere
of the world in Matisse’s mind. Although it was time of war,
the scenery outside the window is equally as peaceful—
even the procession of carriages shows no sign of hurry or
chaos.

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… Here are links to Contextual Investigations on the 3
artists and artworks from the past:
Robert Delaunay.doc
Henri Rousseau.doc
Henri Matisse.doc

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After experiencing the creative journeys of the artists
from the past, one cannot help but wonder: what is the
connection between modern artists and our society, and
what is their prospect of future? On Wednesday November
11, 2009, I had the pleasure to acquaint and interview an
accomplished artist and art writer Mr. Brian Grison, who
graciously shared his view of the essence of art and artists’
interaction with the society. Please see the link below for
our interview, with original responses from Mr. Grison:
Interview with Brian Grison.doc
II. Rendezvous in HistoryII. Rendezvous in History

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PART B—WHO ARE WE?PART B—WHO ARE WE?

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Having witnessed the fruits of the past, it is time to
recollect my own experiences to find out just what type of
person I am and what values I behold.
I was born in a bustling city of Taiwan to a family that
had served as officials in Emperor Qian Long’s palace
during the Qing dynasty of China. In 1949 right after WWII
and just before the Cultural Revolution, the Ma’s moved to
Taiwan. As a very young child, I immersed myself in books
and music. My scholarly and loving parents greatly
encouraged my curiosity. At age four, I began playing the
piano and composing (on the piano). Music became the
element of joy in my life ever since.

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Although I seemed to be born outgoing, my sensitive
personality played a decisive role in shaping my interaction
with the outside world. As I was growing up, I discovered
that the image I present to others was veering far from my
inner self. I’ve lost the ability to freely express myself, and
I’ve been trying to turn off my sensibility whenever I interact
with the outside world. I became a solitary person. Over the
years, I have been striving to revive my sensibility and
inject it into my creative life. A positive factor is that the
Canadian environment is providing me with a more
desirable place to do so than if I had stayed in Taiwan all
my life.

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The trip from Taiwan to Canada when I was 11 was a
turning point in my life. My parents and I decided to leave
the homeland that we all loved. In Canada, I can make my
body stronger in the open space and fresh air, and I will not
have to combat the social split caused by Taiwan’s political
factors. Also in Canada, I can meet people from hundreds
of ethnic backgrounds. However, coming to a new country
meant tremendous challenges, from mastering the
language to adjusting to a new culture. Fortunately, the
supportive environment in Shoreline Middle School in my
first two months at a Canadian school left me a wonderful
impression of Canada.

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After the fleeting two months had past, my parents
and I moved into a more “permanent” home close to Cedar
Hill Middle School and Mount Doug Secondary. I left
Shoreline in tears, but I was also aware of what the moving
meant for me: I must once again adjust to a new
environment and carry on with a stable course of learning.
At about the same time, I resumed regular music classes at
the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Thinking back now, if I
were to show my 11 year old self my achievements up to
date and ask her how she feels, there’s no doubt that she’d
be very pleased and relieved.

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I have always pondered, as an immigrant in a strange land,
what is the value of life? Do I know who I am? Do I know
what I’m doing? Do I know what I’m going to become?
Recalling when I was little, a quote by Leonardo da Vinci
struck me:

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““Life is limited, but knowledge isLife is limited, but knowledge is
not. Only the continual pursuit ofnot. Only the continual pursuit of
knowledge would keep us fromknowledge would keep us from
wasting something so valuable aswasting something so valuable as
our lives.”our lives.”

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Me, I find great joy in learning, especially in Canada where
my time is more flexible, allowing me to explore knowledge
to my heart content. I am now standing on the landmark of
the present, reflecting upon the path I’ve walked for the last
16 years and looking ahead into the future. I am trying to
sketch a clear portrait that expresses what I’ve learned,
what I’ve concluded from my learning, and what I’m
inspired to do. It’s like creating a unique piece of artwork; it
is to become an imperishable symbol of the society,
providing the people yet to come with materials that will
prompt endless imaginations, inspiration and exploration.

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PART C—WHERE ARE WEPART C—WHERE ARE WE
GOING?GOING?

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Although my short-term goal is to finish my studies at
university, my long-term goal is to lead a life like “a unique
piece of artwork”—a life that has a purpose within my
context. I can use what I’ve learned over the years to paint
a life that characterizes who I am and fulfills my passion
and my strengths….

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…As I become more independent and more involved with
the society, there will be the need for me to improve my
interpersonal skills and adjust my solitary personality. I will
need to regain the ability to freely express myself. I am
hopeful of such prospect, especially when I see it working
hand in hand with my continuation with music, which will
certainly remain as an integral part of my life. Although I
cannot foresee where the fruits of my endeavour will
ultimately end up, I, like Mr. Grison, shall just keep on
fulfilling my dreams and my life, which is certainly too
valuable to be wasted!

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While concerning about my own future, it is impossible
to ignore the trends of my country and the world as they
are the key factors that influence my context. In terms of
Canada as a nation, I behold an optimistic outlook for its
future on the global stage. With the threat of climate
change looming over the world, Canada is in a favourable
position for its vast storage of natural resources and
Canadian people’s awareness in protecting these
resources….

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…As global warming makes Canada more habitable, future
Canadians will be able to take advantage of such situation
as well as all the existing resources to lead a better quality
life. In addition, our value for human rights, freedom,
equality and democracy as well as recognition of ethnic
diversity will sure contribute to the stability of the Canadian
society in a time of crisis. The environmental factors on top
of the social merits of Canadian communities are likely to
forge an optimistic future for Canada and its inhabitants.

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In terms of the prospect of the entire world, there are
likely to be fundamental changes to social and political
structures as information technology is becoming faster
and more widespread than ever. As a result of the speed
and availability of instant communication, people are less
and less likely to congregate in one place. Instead, small
social circles are being formed in the cyberspace….

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…Gradually, this interconnected network will see the
diminishing of significance of political boundaries as rules
can be made more unanimously and service provided more
conveniently within the small social circles. It is also likely
that there will be the rise in internationally-based agencies
whose service is accessible anywhere in the world. As
different communities began to develop their own identities,
we will also see an increase in diversity amongst various
neighbourhoods. Hence, the ever-rising speed in
communication will push towards a global trend of smaller
social circles and potentially the break-down of large social
divisions such as nations.

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Although the world is faced with the unpredictable
disasters of climate change, humans should still be hopeful
in forging an era of relative peace through the
consciousness that has been gained from experience. By
cooperating, we will be able to solve the problems and build
towards a stable, prosperous future as crisis becomes
history….

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…Furthermore, with the combined force of technological
improvement and environmental awareness, we are also
capable of transforming the world into a more suitable
place to live than ever before. As a teenager faced with the
challenges and prospect of a new era, I am far from being
afraid. By taking what I’ve learned and what I’m dreaming
of, I am confident that I will be able to create a unique piece
of artwork out of my life.

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PART D—AND ME?PART D—AND ME?
——a creation of my portraita creation of my portrait

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My Artwork:My Artwork:

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The course of history is just like the flow of a river. This
is a river in which I am trying to find a position and create
an image that explains who I am. The legacy of those who
came before me—from knowledge to technology, culture,
social structure and legal system—allows me to have a
foothold in the present and prompts me to reflect upon my
being. The experiences with our civilization in the part of
history that I can witness let me comprehend how the
course of this river might unfold in the future. Life is just like
a continuous relay of inheritance and pioneering.

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With this imagery of the river of history, I decided to
approach my portrait by first getting an understanding of
how successful artists had illustrated their context. I
investigated three artists who all lived and worked in the
early 20th century in Paris: Robert Delaunay, Henri
Rousseau, and Henri Matisse. Although they were all from
the same society in the same time period, the three artists
each developed very different artistic languages in the open
environment of Paris at the time. This is the evidence of
how social context can be translated into personal context,
which is then expressed through the creation of artworks.
The ideas that were carried through in the artists’ works
had inspired various aspects of my artwork:

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I. DelaunayI. Delaunay
Delaunay’s works are characterized by contrasting
tones of colors that not only serve as the structure of his
paintings but also deliver a feeling of motion in his works. In
addition, his use of Cubist techniques gives our eyes a view
beyond the illusion of perspectives and achieves a more
realistic view of the world by showing the multiple angles,
sides and faces of the object all at once. These principles
inspired me to pay attention to my choice of colors and use
an assembly of real-life objects to represent the aspects of
my context….

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…A key to Delaunay’s work is his magical use of white,
which plays the role as the “light” in his image. By
highlighting certain areas on the canvas, white helps to
focus the kaleidoscope of colours in Delanay’s painting
while also creating rhythm and energy. On my part, I used
white silk to highlight the river of history. A white, soaring
dove represents hope and my belief in honesty, peace and
righteousness. The white ribbon of which the dove bears is
decorated with blooming flowers, representing the joy and
honour in life. The candle that illuminates my inner world on
the inside of the black wall is also inspired by the
brightness and energy in Delaunay’s works.

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II. RousseauII. Rousseau
If Rousseau were born in our time, he might have
become an avid environmentalist. Throughout his artistic
career, Rousseau, who greatly valued the connection with
the natural world, firmly insisted upon using jungle themes
in his paintings. Similar to Rousseau, I am passionate
about nature. One of my philosophies is that humans are a
part of nature. I chose natural materials to represent the
presence of human beings throughout the course of
history. The rocks and the dried fruits represent the people
from the past, whereas the fresh beans and matches
represent the people yet to come....

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…Although the matches aren’t really “natural”, the energy
they harbour makes them a suitable choice to represent the
potential of future generations of people. The potted plant
in the middle marks my presence in the present,
representing my vitality and formation into a developed
entity.

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III. MatisseIII. Matisse
Matisse’s artistic career can be described as his
pursuit for an idealistic sanctuary. Although he lived
through the war-torn era of early and mid 1900s, he
seemed to not have been swallowed by the chaos, horror
and turbulence of the time, but instead maintained his
peaceful and serene inner self which he delivered through
his artworks. Matisse’s character prompted me to show the
two sides of myself in the display: my inner self in the
inside of the cardboard wall, and my outer self in the
outside of the cardboard wall.

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On the inside, the black wall represents the dark
corner where the shy and solitary me would retreat to.
The candle’s light allows me to reflect upon myself. The
heat of the candle is the power that had kept me going for
the 16 years of my life. The coloured granules are the
negative elements of my personality such as
indecisiveness, confusion, sadness, stubbornness, envy,
prejudice and greed. Sometimes, these granules hide in
the maze inside the seashells and are not seen. By
reflecting upon my actions and conscience regularly, I
want to be able of eventually condense and settle of the
granules over time.

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On the outside, a
yellow wall represents a
bright, energetic and sun-lit
world. It is adorned with my
own paintings and music
scores. While music and
art is a way for me to
communicate with others,
the outer wall
demonstrates my longing
to interact with society and
to be understood by
others.

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EpilogueEpilogue
As the exploration of my core of being is drawing to a
close, I want to revisit the three questions I brought up
when we began:

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As human beings, we are all born with the ability to
adapt and survive. Such ability is closely associated with
the potential to create, which is best expressed through art.
From the prehistoric past to the civilized present, art is an
integral part of the lives of human beings. For the artists,
artworks express their creative power and aesthetics. For
the society, artworks demonstrate its various aspects and
also facilitate the communication between artists and the
society. For the era, artworks act as the witness of the time
period in which they are created.
Why do humans need art?Why do humans need art?

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Many artists would reflect the society’s influence in
their artworks in addition to their creative powers. With the
resulting artwork as a vehicle, artists are able communicate
their ideas with the society regardless of the constraints of
space or time.
What is the relationshipWhat is the relationship
between art, artists and thebetween art, artists and the
society?society?

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The experiences in life as well as discipline and
accomplishments are usually important factors in the
creation of artworks and the development of artistic
languages. Social circumstances, such as fads, criticism,
economy and politics, also affect the aspects of artworks.
While artists are influenced by the society, artists reflect
these influences in the artworks, provoking response from
the society.
How do artists use art toHow do artists use art to
communicate with thecommunicate with the
society?society?

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Throughout the journey, I have investigated the artistic
languages of past artists, recollected my own experiences
to clarify my context, explored the possibilities of the future,
and created an artwork that explains “me”. With what I’ve
learned during this time period, a new page is being added
to the record of my life….

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…Although this occasion of learning and exploring has
become a memory, you and me can still flip open this page
any time in the future and commune with my ideas. If this is
a place with much gravity, there will be millions or even
trillions of radioactive particles congregating here and
producing light. You may be able to see this star shining in
the night sky. You can point at it and say: “CREATE.”“CREATE.”

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AppendixAppendix
Please see the link below for the personal journey of the
author:
My Personal Context Chart.doc

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CreditsCredits
Contents written by Grace Ma.
Powerpoint produced by Grace Ma, transcribed from the
original papers in August 2010.
Original music performed and recorded by Grace Ma.
Artwork (see background picture) created and
photographed by Grace Ma.
Special thanks to Brian Grison for the responses to the
interview.