A filmmaker recently shared a brief documentary with me, and I highly recommend taking about six minutes to watch it. The video features Gert Johan Manschot, a Dutch artist who meditates while creating beautiful Zen calligraphy-inspired paintings. He resides in Texas, which isn’t mentioned until later in the video, initially causing some confusion with his references to longhorn cattle and cowboys.
Manschot talks about his unique creative process, explaining that he waits for the painting to essentially create itself. This beautifully captures the essence of releasing control and allowing creativity to flow naturally. I’ve noticed in my own experience that when the sense of “I” diminishes, the creative process becomes more effortless.
The documentary, titled “Art of the Moment” by Travis Lee Ratcliff, left me wanting to know more about Manschot, and I hope a longer film about him is produced.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful film, Bodhipaksa. It resonated with my own drawing process and left me feeling very inspired.