» Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:48 pm As the artist works, some portion of his creation is bestowed upon him. An idea pops into his head, a tune begins to play, a phrase comes to mind, a color falls in place on the canvas. Usually, in fact, the artist does not find himself engaged or exhilarated by the work, nor does it seem authentic, until this gratuitous element has appeared, so that along with any true creation comes the uncanny sense that "I," the artist, did not make the work. "Not I, not I, but the wind that blows through me," says D. H. Lawrence. Not all artists emphasize the "gift" phase of their creations to the degree that Lawrence does, but all artists feel it.
- Lewis Hyde, in "The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property"
I write piano songs. I've been doing it as sort of a hobby for probably 3 years now, and I'd come to the conclusion a little while ago that nothing I write is anything I've made up. Basically, it seems to me that as an artist (using the term loosely here... I don't claim to be good), I'm merely discovering patterns of notes that go together, sounding pleasing. All of the music seems to exist in the piano beforehand, it just needs someone to come along and press the keys to find the right notes. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I read this paragraph in the book that it seems I'm not the only one who believes in art more as discovery, not invention.
Discuss? Do artists make things up or do they put what already existed into the physical world? What are your own experiences in whatever it is you create? Also, what does that mean for intellectual property? If nothing is truly an artist's original work, but only received as a gift, can artists claim they "own" their art?
