Always Something to Learn

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Photo Nov 28, 2 21 09 PM

I am still learning.
– Michelangelo

There is always something to learn. No matter the age, the ability, the level of skill, the success or life realization, we learn and should seek to learn until we die. It would be arrogant to think that there is nothing to learn, or worse, to think we know everything. Even when it seems that we know something or that we don’t need what is taught, even when we are practicing what they are talking about, I believe we can learn something new each day. The day we stop learning, we stop living. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know everything. In fact, I know much less than what I should know at my age. Hopefully, I’ll live long enough to catch up.

Learning doesn’t have to be focused on a specific topic. It is not about being in school forever. Learning doesn’t have to be strictly about ‘serious’ subjects. It could be something trivial and ‘useless’. Seeking knowledge for the sake of knowledge is a lot of fun. We might never use information we have stored in the brain, but we can become the heroes in the next trivia challenge. My grandfather always said that we don’t need to know everything, but a little of everything enough to sustain a conversation with anyone. Knowledge is not about us, is about others. It is about connecting with people. In order to relate to others it is good to know about them. That is a motivation for learning something new every day.

The Pain of Cognitive Dissonance

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What a pain in the neck is asking a question and getting a dozen conflicting answers! Why is it so difficult to get a straight answer? All you want is a straight answer that you can put into an effective plan of action. It seems like all the advice you get is contradicting and confusing. That mental stress and discomfort is caused by cognitive dissonance and it happens when you have to balance two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values. You like peace of mind, balance, and as psychologists call it you want ‘internal consistency’. However, the pain of cognitive dissonance is necessary as growing pains.

Cognitive dissonance is an important catalytic for learning. Learning is not about transmitting knowledge like giving away a box of chocolates. Learning is the process of making meaning through consciously balancing previous knowledge with the new information. It requires reflection and intentionality. Humans are not machines in which an algorithm is inserted and automatically executed without cognitive processing. When conflicting ideas emerge these are sorted out and considered based on reliability, credibility, and delivery. In some cases, when information doesn’t serve to balance dissonance it is just discarded.

You love unwelcome advice, don’t you? How about uninformed advice or critique? People love to give uninformed advice. They tell you how to do something and how to do it right without examining what you are doing and how you are doing it. Your brain generally rejects the information. When you seek advice or critique you are ready to receive and consider the information. This is why instructional design considers (or at least should) of great importance to perform a needs analysis before suggesting a learning solution. When you go to see a doctor you expect a check up before a prescription. It is unreasonable for a mechanic to tell you how much repairs are going to cost before they assess the damages.

Information is consciously or unconsciously delivered to you in a constant basis. When you are consciously seeking information, no matter how willing you are to receive it, cognitive dissonance must occur. The mental stress should be short when information is considered in a timely manner. Psychology suggests self-perception theory as an alternative to cognitive dissonance. Self-perception theory is explained simply a way to see yourself as if you were an outside observer. Is the new information conflicting with your values, ideas, and beliefs?  Consider advice and where it comes from. Remember the famous saying, “Is not what you say but how you say it”? Cognitively it matters too. It helps to sort out information. Consider your goals. What needs to change to get there? Is the new information helping you develop a plan of action? Straight answers won’t help if you really want to learn.

Passion for Teaching

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“I can tell you love teaching.” … I’ve heard that a few times. I do. Teaching is for me a way to give back. If I keep what I know to myself it will die with me. If I share what I know it will live longer in the lives of those who learned. Not only so, what I know will expand beyond me instead of being encapsulated within me. When I teach I can feel this fire burning inside of me. I’m so passionate about it. I don’t pretend to know it all. In fact, I don’t know much, but what I know I share. I also pay attention. I like to learn as much as I like to teach.

“Knowledge not only resides in the head or in the collective mind of a social group, but also exists in discourse and communication among individuals and their relationships.”

Learning and teaching is conscious, intentional, willful, and a balance between old and new knowledge. Learning is also a vicarious experience. Sometimes people don’t know they are learning something until it clicks. This kind of interaction rarely happens in isolation but socially. When people are having fun with others is sometimes when they learn the most. I enjoy when people is satisfied with the results of their time spent. Their testimonials are not to fill my heart or head with pride and arrogance. These are a reminder of the great responsibility placed in my hands. I keep myself in check and seek to humble myself. After all, teaching makes you the servant, not the master.

How to Explain Your Art

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182297_10150256163239956_22866031_nI honestly enjoy talking about my art, the process, the technique, the historical influences, and the possible story behind each piece. I believe that being able to explain your art is very important and increases credibility as an artist. I guess it applies to any craft. A while ago I posted something about this subject on twitter and it caused a little outrage from people who misunderstood “learning about your craft” with “going to school” and getting a formal education. Let me clarify that getting “formal” education is a good thing, but that’s not what I refer to. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was autodidact. I guess that clarifies the point. It is not about formal education but to seek understanding about what you do and why because it helps you grow as an artist. If you can explain it, people will be more interested in what you do. This is what I suggest to aspiring artists:

Find yourself in time

Newsflash!!! “There is nothing new under the sun“. This is at times an ego check to artists. You are only as unique as the variation and “spirit” you provide to your art. I suggest you look into an art history book and find yourself in time. All we do have an origin and an influence somewhere in the past. Get to know the arts that influence your art, and where your inspiration draws from. Don’t be intimidated by comparisons from artists from the past. That should be a compliment.

Assess your logic

No matter how “random” you think your art is, there must be a logic behind it. This logic can be found in the use of color, the strokes, rhythm, as it can be conceptual and philosophical. You can find this logic in every movement of art including modern art. Find your logic. When you do and explain it to people they will feel more involved with your work than you could imagine.

Assess your emotions 

Maybe the explanation to your logic is found in what you feel when you are working. Art is a sensorial experience after all. Some people like to listen to a specific kind of music to get in a specific kind of mood. Anger, happiness, relaxation, tension, hope, sadness, loss, loneliness… there are many emotions that transpire in our work that if we can’t identify them someone would.

Now you can tell your story and provide the viewers with the “spirit” of the work and engage them even more. The more you immerse yourself in understanding your craft, the better you get at it, the more inspiration you find, the more engagement from your viewers you reach. Learn about other styles too, specially those that came before and after the one that identify yours. The more you know, the more your confidence as an artist will grow too. Educate yourself to explain your art.