The idea of praxis emphasises the importance of doing in order to become. In athletics, the image is simple, no one excels at swimming, playing tennis, or any other sport without years of practice and development. If we believe that we are simply good at math or bad at it, if we believe that either we can swim or we can’t, then we never envision what we can become. One great example is the artist Vincent Van Gogh. Michael Michalko wrote of Van Gogh’s development as an artist with little talent but a strong work ethic.
Van Gogh is generally considered to be one of history’s greatest artists and had a far-reaching influence on 20th-century art. His artistic accomplishments are not an accident, not a result of some easily magic trick or secret, but a consequence of his nature to work persistently on his art every day. He revered “the doing” in art. He wrote about his hard work many times to his brother Theo. In a letter he sent Theo in 1885 he stated that one can only improve by working on your art, and many people are more remarkably clever and talented than him, but what use is it if they do not work at it.
He did not begin painting until his late twenties, completing many of his best-known works during the last two years of his life. In the first years of his career, van Gogh displayed no natural talent. David Sweetman’s biography “Van Gogh: His Life and His Art” gives a detailed description of his intention to be an artist and his insatiable capacity for hard work to become one. He turned himself into an artist by acting like an artist and going through the motions by turning out mostly bad innumerable rough sketches, day and night. In Van Gogh’s own words he said, “In spite of everything I shall rise again and take up my pencil and draw and draw.”
He received mild encouragement from his cousin, Anton Mauve, who supplied him with his first set of watercolors. Mauve was a successful artist and gave Vincent some basic instructions in painting. Their relationship was short-lived, however, as Vincent was incapable of receiving criticism of his art from Mauve. Mauve even went to Vincent’s father and told him it would be better for Vincent to stop attempting to be an artist and find another occupation that better suited his talent. It was then that Vincent unveiled what art critics label as his first “masterpiece,” The Potato Eaters.
He turned himself into an artist by acting like an artist and going through the motions by turning out mostly bad innumerable rough sketches, day and night.
Paul had a similar vision of how practice changes persons. In Colossians 3, he encouraged, 12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord[f] has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. If we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, patience, and love, then, in time, we will become compassionate, kind, and loving. Shakespeare summed up the power of praxis when he said, Assume a virtue if you have it not. Van Gogh acted like an artist, working hard every day doing what artists do. In time, he became one. The Beatles played their ten thousand hours in clubs until they became the band still popular today. Praxis centers on practicing in order to become. To become a loving soul, act like one and you’ll become one.
To read more of Michalko’s article on Van Gogh and the importance of practicing to become, click on this link: http://creativethinking.net
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