INTEGRITY AND ART

Posted on | March 8, 2010 | 12 Comments

What does integrity mean to you? Does integrity mean something different in your art than with yourself?

Integrity as a concept has to do with perceived consistency of our actions, values, methods, principles, expectations and outcome .

Integrity means the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change.

Integrity means to complete what you say.

Integrity means you stick to your personal code of conduct….what you have decided is right or wrong.

Integrity means honoring yourself. It doesn’t mean you have to “feel” like doing the job or even like the job…..it means you do the job because you gave your word.

Saying and doing are two totally different things…..integrity is doing what you promised.

Integrity is a skill….it is developed over time. It is developed with experience and observation.

Integrity must be maintained.

Integrity gives us a foundation from which to draw on for future projects. We automatically know our strength because we have proven it to ourselves (this one is really important)

Integrity is our secret back up system.

What is artistic integrity:

Always painting with passion
Never copying but taking ideas and tweaking them to make them our own
Being original….not normal
Having the courage to take a chance
Always remembering your artistic vision comes from your life, your thoughts…..your courage
Creating a painting because it comes from your soul and not for recognition or prizes
Being willing to be scared….to create on the edge
To continue creating when doubt in yourself appears
Doing your very best each and every day

These are but a few…..What are yours?

“Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching.”

Category: Art and Spirituality, Creative Flow, Integrity
Tags: art > Honesty > Integrity > Moral > Relationship > Skill > Strength
12 Comments

Comments

12 Responses to “INTEGRITY AND ART”

Linda slasberg
March 8th, 2010 @ 10:32 am

I liked the content of this post and the whole idea of what we think about when we think of integrity.

For me it covers the entire way I conduct my life, whether in my art or anything else.

I need to be REAL I need for others to be that way too. All too often they are not, not just with others but deep inside themselves. They appear to be be in a theatrical production, all acting.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment on this important subject.

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Sue Martin
March 8th, 2010 @ 10:35 am

I’m really glad you started this dialogue. As you suggested, integrity is something to be practiced. Many of us have practiced it in various life roles, but each time we approach a new role or situation, we may have to look again at what integrity means. So your definitions of integrity caused me to think more deeply about the integrity of my art making and my art business. I think I would add one more: To challenge yourself with continuous learning, through classes or workshops. Perhaps it’s inherent in “Being willing to be scared…” but I think it deserves a place of its own.

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Kim
March 8th, 2010 @ 10:54 am

Gwen, this post is fabulous! I will be keeping a running list of what integrity means to me in my journal. Your list is exceptional, but let me add this one:

…keeping the dialogue going and focused for the good of the whole even when it doesn’t always resonate with you. (again, another one which takes amazing courage) I think you do a tremendous job keeping the dialogue going here!

Thank you!

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Ken
March 8th, 2010 @ 11:17 am

Perhaps because of my life in advertising I find developing the personal integrity to create what I like and to say what I want to say, a very difficult transition. I am programmed to do what other will approve of and what others will buy.
My personal battle is to develop an integrity in my own work.

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Debora Stewart
March 8th, 2010 @ 3:43 pm

For me artistic integrity means there are no shortcuts and you must learn to rely on your intuition for your own individual and unique path. My artistic journey is reflective of my spiritual journey and they are one in the same. I have had to learn to be true to myself, listen to my discontents, follow internal leadings. I have wanted to discover my own path and not repeat someone elses. We only have one life to live why try to mimmick someone elses? To thine own self be true.

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Steven Van Cleave
March 8th, 2010 @ 6:21 pm

Integrity does not mean very much when you don’t have to pay a price for it at some level. Everybody has it then. You know it is durable when you choose to sustain it or forge it in face of real personal challenges.

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Catherine Gauldin
March 9th, 2010 @ 6:38 am

I like this quote about integrity: “Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence. ~Author Unknown”

How many times have I forgotten that the objective is to strive for excellence in tasks that might seem to others (and sometimes even to myself) as unimportant or unlikely to produce recognition, and try to understand that every honest approach to the completion of the myriad details that make up life is necessary to the completion of the whole. I believe that any expectation of recognition in the life of an artist is an illusion; it may never come, but a personal dedication to integrity as we approach each challenge in our work is essential and will therefore be its own reward. If recognition comes it will be as the result of work done consistently with integrity. The beauty is in the way we handle with honesty the details of work and life in the same way that a painting is made up of a thousand small yet colorful brushstrokes.

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Joe DeLong
March 10th, 2010 @ 10:39 am

Integrity is the integration of——Truth, Action, Result and Effect. This based on the the Honor you have for yourself.

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gwen
March 13th, 2010 @ 11:42 am

Joe….Oh, so true. Thanks for your input.

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Kathleen Gage
March 13th, 2010 @ 6:35 pm

Great topic Gwen. Integrity to me means to be whole. To be whole I must live in my truth. To live in my truth I must be willing to risk. To risk I must be willing to walk through fear. To walk through fear I must be willing to learn courage. To learn courage I must be open to continually deepening my awareness.

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Gail Shelton
March 13th, 2010 @ 9:05 pm

Gwen, I love your work and your words of wisdom. Thanks for being an inspiration to all of us.

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Lana Grow
June 14th, 2010 @ 11:22 am

Love your art work and the blog is full of great wisdom with experience as your teacher. Thanks for sharing.
Lana

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