Art as Meditation II: Repetition
“Repetition is a potent means of heightening the inner vibration and is, at the same time, a source of elementary rhythm which, in turn, is a means to the attainment of elementary harmony in every form of art.” - Wassily Kandinsky
Our Patterning
As creatives by nature, we are drawn to patterns, we find comfort in them — we replay songs we love, repeat things to ourselves so we don’t forget them, we use repetition to reinforce new habits.
A lot of us understand that repetitive motifs found throughout artwork can feel very grounding. There is a visual beauty within some of the simplest shapes because a sense of abundance is created. As we know, icons like Andy Warhol, Yayo Kasuma, and Donald Judd all used an extraordinary amount of repetition within their work in a way that not only makes them so identifiable, but also speaks to the human’s inclination towards patterns of sameness.
With the recurrent use of color, repeat patterns, lines, shapes, textures, or symbols, artists employ repetition in their work as their way to create harmony and rhythm, to illustrate mood or the underlying message.
Meditation in Motion:
Getting Into the Mindset & Falling Into your Creative Flow
Performing repetitive motion in art cultivates a similar peace. Just as mantra in meditation is used to bring one back to presence, doing the same motion over and over again syncs your body and mind, and blocks out the noise.
Dropping into your repetitive practice also teaches you about your unique rhythms, providing endless insight into your own process. Through your repetitive motion, you find out what works uniquely for you; whether it’s how you prefer to hold a paintbrush, how you should sit when throwing a pot. In this way, repetition builds an awareness in the body that sporadic motion does not.
Routine as Ritual
Since repetition also naturally occurs in cycles and routines, within an artistic practice, building your solid routine helps eliminate most overthinking, making it easier to drop into your creative flow. Your ritual may look like having a designated space to work, working around the same time of day everyday for the same amount of time, using the same materials, keeping the same object of focus are all ways to keep consistency within your practice. Not only will you be able to drop into work faster, but by keeping your routines you will find out how you work best, thus creating your own unique ritual.
THE PRACTICE:
Choose a medium you want to work with, and start from scratch (new canvas, new sheet of paper, new ball of clay, etc).
Choose an aspect of the creative process you would like to repeat. It can be a shape, a movement, or a form; just make sure you are able to reproduce it consistently.
Set a timer for 30 minutes to an hour and begin working. Start to notice how it feels to drop into a rhythm.
Once you find a rhythm that feels comfortable, begin exploring different variations. What happens when you move faster or slower? Take note of the outcomes.
Continue working with the same center of focus everyday for a week. Take note of how your process changes, what comes up when you’re dropping into your practice, and how you feel in creative flow.
Overall, repetition can be a great teacher for us to learn about how we move through the world. It shows us how we pick up on patterns and what we find interesting, how we find meaning. Whether you are making art or looking at it, pay attention to what patterns stick out to you and always ask yourself why.
