Observing is Intentional

On the first day of my Painting 1 classes in university, I talk about the difference between looking and observing.

“Looking,” in my view, is the mechanical, unconscious, automatic act of our eyeballs transmitting visual information to the brain. We casually look at people, or look for something, or look up information.

It isn’t quite passive, but it’s really only a step away from staring.

“Observing” requires active participation from our conscience. It invites the other 4 sibling senses for the family gathering.

To observe is to look with intention.

Our ancestors had to constantly be on the lookout for predators and danger, but it was the keenly observant hunter who noticed the grass moving slightly counter to the direction of the wind in time to deflect an attack.

Looking is quick; we steal a glance.

Observing is patient. It’s about the experience.

To observe is to have empathy.

As creatives, we are observers of the world around us. I suppose this is why many people say artists are the sensitive type.

“So,” I say to my students, “the next time you sit down to paint an apple, don’t just look at it. Observe it. Get to know THAT apple and see if, with paint, you can engage that apple in dialogue.”

The viewer always knows when an artist has spent time honestly with their subject.