Sea Turtles and a Prize

"Sea Turtle"
acrylic on canvas, 6" x 8"
April, 2009, Judith Nasse

I'm still very excited about art, obsessed in the positive good way. This week I won a contest writing about obsession and intelligence. My prize is Eric Maisel's book A Writer's Paris. Now I wish I could ride on the back of my sea turtle and go to Paris to write! However, I'm doing a good job of it here in Taos! I've started the deep revision of my novel. And, I'm painting & drawing each day, going deeper & experimenting. I'm using this holiday weekend to holiday in Taos by going to a couple of gallery openings & making a gourmet dish here in my own kitchen/cafe!
Here's my essay:
3. What, in your estimation, is the relationship (if any) between productive obsessing and intelligence?

I've been thinking of this topic for some time now. The way I see it is that it rather depends on how one defines intelligence. I, for one, don't think that innate intelligence, as defined by IQ tests, has as much to do with productive obsession as an emotional spark (emotional intelligence) and a learned ability to obsess. Here a higher IQ can help one reason and negotiate with the mind on how to obsess more productively.

I've seen a 3 year old run into a preschool classroom every morning, for days on end, and dash to the easel to paint one picture after another. This is an example of productive obsessing at a rudimentary level. The child doesn't reason "I'll paint for 30 minutes each day." She just does it.

On the other hand there are highly intelligent, it seems, religious leaders and politicians who obsess to the point of destruction. For instance, as a gross example, Hitler could have developed his painting and art instead of destroying lives and countries. I doubt he lacked intelligence. He lacked productive obsession about his true creativity.

For me, productive obsession means developing one's innate brain intelligence to further the productive obsession. This can be done through studying techniques and learning from the masters in art, literature, music, acting, etc. Then, and more importantly, finding ways to apply what one knows into how to productively obsess about it. This takes a growing emotional maturity and therefore willingness to schedule inviolable creative time, balancing day jobs, family, unexpected events, finances, and health with creative flow. (Creative flow is productive obsession.)

Another aspect of this creative maturity is learning to discern between a fear and a true need. Is my headache due to the fear or am I getting a cold? Is this painting too reminiscent of that mean mom or do I need to learn to paint the shadows better? Is my "depression" this morning because I'm in a blue state over my progress or because my sinus' are blocked or I have to face the day job boss about an issue?

This learned productive obsession may need support at times, like here in Eric's group. It also requires commitment, discipline, and persistence, all of which are learned over time if one, like the 3 year old, allows the productive obsession to obsess! Allow the obsession to teach us how to obsess.

Have a most enjoyable rest of the Memorial Day weekend!