STARTING A DIALOGUE BETWEEN ARTISTS

Hi Paul;  can I sum up your thoughts this way? -  the finished product, or work of art, is less important than the act of making it, because in the making, you are exploring "elements and principles" involved in "creation".  Part of this exploration for you, (and many others) involves the search for symbols  ( of something [?] )  The creative act has a language that allows dialogue with others.  Finally, you say that the evolution in your creative process, is the real "art", NOT the technique that is used.

   If we are to compare the creative act against the end product,  I would say I know what you mean.  The creative act is nearly everything.  If it weren't for the satisfaction generated by creating a work of art,  I wouldn't be doing it at all, because, unless you're "famous" and sell to pay the rent, your creative "acts" come to a natural conclusion and then thereafter tend to pile up as you move on to the next creation ( which  of course, is going to be the best thing you have ever done!)

   I think it all boils down to whether you are a personality that likes to communicate or not.  And even the finished product ( when the high of creating is over )  does or should communicate some of your process of creation to the Viewer, ( who also brings their own thing to this means of communication, the "work".)
If you are strongly motivated to communicate, as for example with a good teacher, or writer, or musician,  the end product  ( the idea, the story, the song) is important to the author who wants to communicate ( let alone make a bit of cash.)

  Getting positive feed-back is one way of having a dialogue.  Artists who have on-going dialogues, like the Impressionists, the Group of Seven,  Painters Eleven, etc. certainly help to keep the creative juices flowing, and can be very positive at the "creation" stage of development where it involves discussion of nebulous ideas,  ambiguous principles, and even technique,  but it is rare to find someone who  truly wants advice, and also someone who is able and willing to give good advice.   So these are some of my thoughts for today.