Liminality: Making Things the Same but Different

September 1, 2021 8:12 pm

When I create art, I notice that things have changed. I also see what hasn’t changed and anticipate what lies ahead in “Tomorrow.” I look for consistency in a world that’s constantly evolving. Consistency is what I find in the middle of it all: what’s happening in the “Right Now.” For me, the essence of being a liminal artist is seeing things from the present moment while navigating “Yesterday” and “What’s Next.” I’m always noticing what came before and what lies ahead while creatively expressing the reality of “Right Now.”

I had a little fun with this painting. I went a bit nuts with making it different, but aspects of it are still rooted in “Right Now.” I can walk into the living room and see these candlesticks. I will see that they are the same shape, but the colors and patterns have been hugely altered. As I play with reality, I express the unpredictability of the world around me. Those candlesticks could just as easily change their appearance as I could wake up to a completely different tomorrow. I hang in the balance – in the middle of time- with no promises about tomorrow and no way to reach back into the past. All I own and control is “Right Now,” and the only way I make sense of any of it is by processing it on my canvas.

Do you look for consistency in a world that’s constantly evolving and changing? What do you find in the middle of your present moment: as life unfolds in surprising and unexpected ways? How does art making give voice to what’s happening in your “Right Now.” Explore the ways that liminality and creative process can intersect through artistic expression. Consider how art making lets you see things from “Today” while navigating “Yesterday” and “What’s Next.” Artistic expression can bring acceptance and understanding to you and others. Find ways to let others see and respond to your creations, and tomorrow will be easier for us all to embrace with understanding and peace.