Scientists And Artists

A good traveler has no fixed plans
and is not intent upon arriving.
A good artist lets his intuition
lead him wherever it wants.
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts
and keeps his mind open to what is. -Tao Te Ching by Lao-Tzu (Stephen Mitchell translation)

“I saw the angel in the marble, and carved until I set him free.” -Michelangelo when asked how he sculpted the statue of David

Scientists and artists have much in common. They both start with blind faith, a belief in something that doesn’t exist. They both are ignited by possibility and discovery. Whether that’s inventing a new molecule, writing a new play or carving a statue from a block of marble. They both are trying something that might not work in service of others.

The artist can benefit from taking a scientific approach to their art. Nothing is a failure. Rather, it’s an experiment.  Trial and error. Testing. Researching. Learning. Iterating. It’s all part of the scientific process. 

The answer, the art you see in your head, it’s out there. You just haven’t found it yet. You will.

Keep going.