Art of Memories

Art of Memories | Rod Jones Artist

Recollections are stored things that inevitably bring on wanderings; triggering random thoughts, that are both productive and unproductive. No matter how you live inside your mind, the opportunity to explore memories is perhaps one of the most creative gifts we collectively share. Feelings of nostalgia and cherished memories have motivated many a songwriter to set words and music to rhythmic compositions, that more often than not tug on our hearts.

Every art form has evolved from the brain’s capacity in retaining millions of memories. Even the physical actions in dance or athletic performances are based on the body’s capacity for building memories through rehearsals.

Spontaneity may be nothing more than the brain’s ability to harvest and draw upon deep-rooted memories. To be creative, it is said that you need to embrace the exploration of imaginative thoughts. I know it sounds like all artistic achievements lay within a bed of memories; just laying around waiting to be awakened, perhaps this may be the case.

Careworn hands and eyes. Look at the hands of a mother or grandmother. Maybe look at an older gentleman, that spent his life making things with his hands or he tilled the soil growing crops in the field. Those hands are in aggregate of memories. Just by looking carefully at their hands, you will start the process of building memories of your own. Remembering your mother or father’s tender touch when you were wounded emotionally by some bratty kid… especially the half witted ones that thought you were ugly. Your teared up eyes looked into your mom or dad’s sympathetic eyes, there you could see a whole bunch of love and care. “Ah…yes.” If you read this last paragraph you understandably traveled through a whole bunch of memories.

We all have collectibles in our life, these sometimes are trinkets we cherish primarily because they are reminders of the wonderful times we have had. Wedding rings are emotional, visual and physical reminders that we have committed our hearts and souls to another human being. More often than not, you will sometimes see a woman or man looking at the ring on their finger that was placed there during their wedding vows. You just know there are a million memories coming and going inside that person’s mind.

Looking intently at a work of art, or in some cases touching and holding a sculptural piece is the transmitter of past and future memories and thoughts. “This reminds me of this, or that.” Is often heard by those surrounding a work of art. In order for them to be reminded of anything requires a bank of memories stored deep within our very psyche.

Is art always visual? No, because you can listen to music. You would have to be in possession of a vacuous mind not to float in a dreamlike state of memories while listening to one of Chopin’s delicate but yet emotionally intricate compositions, played on the piano. Your mind, soul and spirit will meld into a sea of melodic musical rhythms. You will be lost in its gloriousness.

Art of memories is the notion that we create from memories, and some of those memories are so subtle that they are not revealed in a cognitive way. You may think you are being original and authentic to your visual audience, and you are. Creativity is often thought of as being inspired by outside stimuli, could be visual, auditory or maybe even something you smelled or touched. But it’s possible a good part of originality is triggered by recessed memories that are just waiting for the opportunity to reveal themselves. They are often wrapped in a series of brain activities that cannot be described or spelled out in words.

The give-and-take of art is its ability to trigger and promote sustainable memories. You may be what some describe as an original thinker, the kind of person that just oozes out profound ideas. Most of us simply are not outwardly that original, but thanks to the cachet and magnitude of memories contained within us, we can be the ones who exude and gush artistic value in everything we create.

Is it real? I mean the ‘art of memories’ think about something you built or made with your hands. Let’s say you were making a birthday cake. I challenge you to go through its construction, without ever thinking about a past memory you had, when it came to a birthday, rather it be yours or loved one. Making a beautiful cake requires creativity, one that is absolutely assembled by way of “Art of Memories.”