"The artist must have something to say, for mastery over form is not his goal but rather the adapting of form to its inner meaning."
— Wassily Kandinsky
Russian Artist
1866 - 1944
When I graduated from college, I wanted to be a writer, but I had no idea what to write about. I had nothing to say — nothing that I wanted to say. I had an idea about writing a historical novel about a sleeping preacher who had lived at the beginning of the 20th century. Maybe through the life of someone else, I would find something to write about. The novel never materialized. I failed at the research.
When I graduated from college, I wanted to be a writer, but I had no idea what to write about. I had nothing to say — nothing that I wanted to say. I had an idea about writing a historical novel about a sleeping preacher who had lived at the beginning of the 20th century. Maybe through the life of someone else, I would find something to write about. The novel never materialized. I failed at the research.
Creative leaders must have something to say — something that needs saying. If we focus on form but have no substance, we will not be successful. Substance has the power to overcome weak technique, but technique cannot support a lack of substance.
What are you trying to communicate with your art? What is the message that you want to deliver to the world. What is the substance of your writing? Or have you allowed your mastery of technique to overshadow the substance?
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| Composition X (1939) |
