Jesse Monongya Photograph: Kiyoshi Togashi

Dear Ornament Reader,

We have been considering a statement by Henry David Thoreau in Walden that — only that day dawns to which we are awake. In order to create, the artist must be successfully and intrinsically awake, in a way that is clearly not related to biological function. It is the type of awakening that calls from deep within and must be listened to in order to create at the level of perfection and elegance that emerges from a true and honest vision. Artists know that meaning is discovered through quest and questioning, that these take us to the next level of understanding, that they lead to unfamiliar places and beyond. It is not just that answers follow questions, but that questions follow answers. And this is a journey within, one that leads to, promotes and develops artistic awakening.

Artists identify with the movement of life that animates the natural world, so that life’s more ambiguous spiritual rhythms resonate in the artwork, connective to and reflective of the mysterious reality of the universe. This is the type of awakening that we all personally desire, and yearn and search for in our professional lives. This type of awakening, an almost palpable sensation, a form of genius in its intangibility, stimulates the artistic experience.

To be mindful is to possess a powerful tool, and one that we use in combination with material and technique and skill to make a work of art. Training is necessary for the refinement of personal character and behavior, in order to achieve a meaningful, even noble life. The language of art and design is a personal, private, particular relationship with the art object, but one that is seemingly governed by universal rules. And if we want to effectively communicate our work to others, then we must understand something about these models. Our ideas are only as good as our ability to share them with others.
All that we do and are in life begins with the inner person. Only from the basis of an awake and aware intelligence, and soul, do we hope to realize our potential in the world around us. These concepts promote and possibly guide us to a happy and fulfilled life, a good life, a hopeful one. The hard part is sustaining the propinquity of our experiences over a lifetime that includes burden and stress, death and deception, and other negatively provocative aspects of being sentient.

It is in the nature of artists to achieve fulfillment through their objects; difficulties are resolved in action and productivity. So work is a strong motivational tool and a powerful stimulus to achieving life’s dreams and goals. Work is, in a way, a love affair with life and living, with their forward and positive motions. We are always in the process of becoming, of expressing our true natures. When we focus on the whole, things work out and obstructions are overcome. We are awake.