Life is Art
The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable. — Robert Henri
Vade Mecum
The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by legendary music producer Rick Rubin, is a philosophical and spiritual manifesto on human expression. Instead of providing a rigid, technical how-to manual for specific artistic industries, Rubin strips away the mystery of creation. He argues that creativity is not a rare talent, but a fundamental way of operating in the world that belongs to everyone. It acts as a companion that alters your daily relationship with the world, encouraging you to move through life with a beginner’s mind and a heightened state of awareness.
Fundamental Principles
Tuning In (Awareness)
Creativity is the practice of being fully present and paying attention to the world. Rubin compares this to acting as a “vessel and filter,” where the creator constantly gathers “seeds” small sparks of inspiration from daily life, conversations and nature. It is about keeping a “beginner’s mind” to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.
The Practice (Experimentation)
Nurture yourself without judgment. This involves experimenting, playing, and allowing the work to take its own shape, often preferring emotional resonance over intellectual design. This foundation emphasizes the process over the product, focusing on building momentum and working in a state of flow.
Completion (Letting Go)
Knowing when to stop, refine, and release the work. Rubin emphasizes that the work is a reflection of the artist at a specific moment in time and does not need to be perfect. The final step is releasing the creation into the world, accepting that the artist’s role ends once the work is shared.
— Rick Rubin“The universe is only as large as our perception of it. When we cultivate our awareness, we are expanding the universe. This expands the scope, not just of the material at our disposal to create from, but of the life we get to live.”
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