It is is not difficult to paint or draw. Anyone can do it. Some may do it better than others. For the Muslim artist it should not be any more different from anyone else. The first thing I say to my students is; "Please do your best, don't be afraid"
Many may say that they cannot draw and is afraid of their work being laughed at or dismissed as frivolous. For the Muslim artist, there is comfort in the knowledge and belief that God is perfect and He alone can create in perfection. Therefore we must not be afraid of the end result of our work because it is the process which is the most important part of the experience.
Since Muslims recognised that God has all the responsibility of being perfect, we would do our very best and accept what we did. We are merely "photocopiers" of all that is around us. Mind you we must do our best and not make something with a haphazard attitude. A person's first reaction to seeing our work is honest and should be taken as constructive criticism. That is; whatever the comments we hear be should be able to build our resolve to do better or improve in anyway we can. Or we can simply ignore the negatives; in fact we must and remember that it is the process that is more important than the end result.
The creative process is the reason, in the first place, why we are artists. The sensual feeling of the paint brush, the soothing colors, the passion of drawing, the joy of building and the satisfaction we get from involving in our selves in something so enjoyable that we do it even if there is no monetary benefit from it.
It is especially important for adults to remember this when asked by a child if they like their work.
Scenario - Fatima is happy. She just finished her drawing for the story she wrote yesterday. She loved the rabbit she drew and the colors she used. She shows it to her teacher. What do you think the teacher's reaction should be?
Some may laugh or begin to point out all the "mistakes" Fatima made. but remember that it was the process through which Fatima learnt not the end result. She learnt from using colors and developing her brain creatively.Our students should not copy a template which we made for them nor should they be told what to do on the exact details of their work. They must be able to use their imagination and inventiveness as this is the objective of art in our classrooms; to build a brain that is creative and innovative.
For the adult artist, this creative process is equally important, more so because much more planning is involved. We plan our compositions, make sketches, practise and practise until we have something we like to develop or work on. Not all of our pieces will be a masterpiece but that is okay because the Master of masterpieces is not going to laugh at our work.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Distractions
The Noble Qur'an - Al-A'raf 7:148
And the people of Moses made in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound (as if it was mooing). Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the way? They took it for worship and they were Zalimun (wrong-doers).
Commitment to other things in our lives can distract us from the real emotions and feelings. This can come about from putting our trust in things other than God. Humans crave companionship and affection to fulfill the meanings in our life. We will love people, pets and have attachments to various things. Some people would have their pets pictures around them, look and collect pictures of a famous person etc.
But the problem starts when these things become a distraction for us and we forget God and fulfill the voids in our life not with prayer but with things that cannot help us in any way. God is the only one who can help us in ALL aspects of life. He is the one who can make sure that the things and people we love are taken care of. What can be really dangerous is when we are so engrossed in connecting with these sometimes superficial relationships and spend so much time, effort and money behind these pursuits that we forget to connect with our Creator and Sustainer.
People, in their quest to keep a hold on things from the past, would keep pictures of their pets and people they love and slowly begin to do things that have no meaning. Like looking at the picture and talking to it. They may place flowers next to the pictures or do something which helps them to deal with the lost of a loved one.
It is extremely difficult to deal with the lost of someone. Knowing that they are in a better place would be able to help.
We can help people who have past on by praying for them and talking to God about our feelings about them. One can not forget a loved one but we can find solace in prayer and du’ah. We can talk as long as we like with God, its free and we don't have to make an appointment.
And the people of Moses made in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound (as if it was mooing). Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the way? They took it for worship and they were Zalimun (wrong-doers).
Commitment to other things in our lives can distract us from the real emotions and feelings. This can come about from putting our trust in things other than God. Humans crave companionship and affection to fulfill the meanings in our life. We will love people, pets and have attachments to various things. Some people would have their pets pictures around them, look and collect pictures of a famous person etc.
But the problem starts when these things become a distraction for us and we forget God and fulfill the voids in our life not with prayer but with things that cannot help us in any way. God is the only one who can help us in ALL aspects of life. He is the one who can make sure that the things and people we love are taken care of. What can be really dangerous is when we are so engrossed in connecting with these sometimes superficial relationships and spend so much time, effort and money behind these pursuits that we forget to connect with our Creator and Sustainer.
People, in their quest to keep a hold on things from the past, would keep pictures of their pets and people they love and slowly begin to do things that have no meaning. Like looking at the picture and talking to it. They may place flowers next to the pictures or do something which helps them to deal with the lost of a loved one.
It is extremely difficult to deal with the lost of someone. Knowing that they are in a better place would be able to help.
We can help people who have past on by praying for them and talking to God about our feelings about them. One can not forget a loved one but we can find solace in prayer and du’ah. We can talk as long as we like with God, its free and we don't have to make an appointment.
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