March 10, 2025
everything is energy: why intentional art matters
Signs and symbols rule the world, not words nor laws.
Confucius
I've been writing a lot lately. I am working on a project so big and so different that I don't have much to say about it yet, I'm just in it. The creative process has given me a lot of time to reflect on things. One of my favorite topics is symbols and the ways in which our everyday environment and cultural norms affect us. We take so much for granted and so much of the design surrounding us goes unnoticed by the conscious mind. But the subconscious is clocking every last detail! Some people say images are processed 60,000 times faster than text. I don't know if thats exactly true but the fact is that the color, shape, texture, and intentions of the things in our world very much effect us because we absorb it all, immediately and constantly. So really, good design and art is (maybe) just as important as a good diet and good exercise for health! I mean, maybe it also depends on how you're built (hello fellow Taureans) but I know I don't feel right in ugly, institutional, sterile environments. Good design and art has a harmonizing quality that allows the more subtle energies to flow.
This feels obvious but then a quick trip to almost any public space in America will remind me that it is not in fact obvious. But at one point it totally was. That is why places with a lot of history are so attractive and we just want to be there (hi most of Europe etc). The ancestors knew! Art matters and the materials we build our lives with matter.
Which brings me to signs and symbols. Our forefathers also knew about this. Every shape has a meaning and that meaning has a vibrational pattern it is broadcasting. This signal may not be consciously read but it makes an impact regardless. This is why big corporations spend so much money and resources on getting their logos, colors and design just right. It all influences human behavior to the tune of billions every single day.
So all this pretty much sums up why I'm so obsessed with creating meaningful art that points the mind and energy in a positive direction. I feel like creating harmony and beautiful uplifting environments is a revolutionary act these days. When our energy is supported, inspired and uplifted we can show up more fully each day to the things in our lives that most matter to us.
