Friday, February 12, 2010

Idea Aids

I've been able to get a few mountain bike rides in over the past week or so. I like to ride from my house and avoid the car ride to the trail head. The riding could be better; there are no single track near by. This ride takes about an hour and fifteen minutes and 1/3rd of it is on the paved road. The last 2/3rds is on a rock and dirt road. This pic is from my turn around, facing east. Pine Mountain is at my back and I'm facing Toquerville and Zion is off in the distance.

I wonder if there are studies that exist to prove a link between exercise and creativity because every time I ride, the thoughts and ideas begin to flow, unabated. It's difficult for me to tear away from the studio, all the while knowing that my artistic vision is getting increasingly cloudy as the day progresses and my sculpture is becoming overworked. Once I'm away and pedaling, problems are solved and new ideas emerge.

Today I reworked a sculpture, improved my artist statement, and rewrote my teaching philosophy all during my one-hour bike ride. I'd be a better artist if I would ride my bike more consistently.






4 comments:

Sabrosa Cycles said...

all of my creative revelations come to me while I am out on a ride. all of them. nice. leave that damn ipod at home and listen to the voices in your head.

carole epp said...

same happens to me, except once i get back to the studio i forget most of the writing i've done in my head. should record it i guess, but it might look a bit silly to talk to oneself out loud while riding - especially since it's crazy winter here and i have to ride at the gym!
: )

Greer said...

You are a walking research project! And the answer is yes, there is research out there showing exactly what you discovered for yourself--always the better experiment.

Russell said...

When I come up with writing ideas, I try to remember the first sentence until I get to a pad of paper, then the rest usually follows.

Greer, what research?