Symbolism and Composition as tools for gaining clarity...

Its been a while since I posted.  This is a drawing I did a month ago, but there is interesting learning to share about it. 
Drawing your emotions or feelings can result in abstract imagery or in this case symbolic imagery. 

The great learning here is that through the creative process of developing symbols and arrangement on the page (composition) one can gain greater clarity and insight to issues, challenges, dreams, goals or personal situations.  This process is akin to using story-boarding to draw desired outcomes in the Creative Problem Solving process.

Here I began by drawing a phrase I had written "I'm on the edge of the cliff and want to fly."  I knew the basic pose of the figure, but had to make conscious choices as to the direction the figure was going to face, how much of the figure the viewer would see, the perspective, the colors and so on.  Then other elements had to be added to complete the scene.  As I was thinking and working it became clear that creating symbols for the challenges, issues and dreams involved helped to identify them and categorize them.  Then, as true with any building or creating exercise,  choices had be made as to where to place these symbols in different areas on the page.  I had to think about the size of the symbol where it was going to go in relation to the other symbols and images.  I had to think about direction, position, dominance, subordination, and connections between or among the symbols.  An interesting task emerged.  I realized that my feelings and emotions connected with the symbols played an important role into its placement, size and position. I had to be mindful to my feelings about each symbol in order to place it on the page in the appropriate place to communicate a desired meaning.  Did it generate a feeling of happiness, rejection or distain, hope or anticipation?  Was the symbol representing something present but insignificant in light of other symbols/factors?  Did it overshadow something else?  Were my feelings about a symbol complicated or clear?  Based on my feelings about what the symbol represented I had to make decisions as to where it made 'sense' to place the symbol in relation to the figure; in front of it or behind it?  How big or small should it be? bright or dark in color? and so on.  Asking these questions and being incredibly mindful of the emotions connected with the symbols,  forced me to think about how one piece relates to another and helped to clarify importance and brought to light fears, joys, and expectations in my current situation.  By paying close attention to the emotions and feelings connected with the issues represented by the symbols the relationships among them can be determined through composition.

 

Mindfulness is vital here.  This process can only be used to gain clarity if a person creates these symbols and compositions with direct and honest connection to what is being felt at that moment - so whatever is in the present can be released to be seen.    I look at this drawing now and because my situation is different - its been a few weeks...  my mind is working on other things and other issues.. the relevance (maybe?) has dwindled a bit...

 

Since doing this drawing I have used this principle in creating some diagrams or visual maps of other emotional challenges and found that using symbolism and composition are excellent tools for bringing clarity to issues and situations. 

Interestingly, I found even greater clarity when showing a very few selected very close friends my drawings.  Their questions and responses to my artwork further deepened my understanding of a situation and helped open my mind to greater meaning to the situations I was representing.