Photoshop and Art

 

Whenever I do editing in Photoshop, I remember when I first used it as a college student many years ago. It was still Photoshop 7 then. The application nurtured my creative inclinations. It made me do what comes to my imagination, allowing me to experiment, learn and re-learn the whole process of coming up with something new and unique. My younger self wanted something avant-garde. It was the 2000s. Artists tend to have this kind of inclination, of wanting to own up something innovative.

But, fast forward to now, I have learned that art is re-creating life and conveying the message through particular mediums that best describe how we feel or how we think. Art always imitates life. We look around and we see art everywhere. That fallen mango down the shoulder of the road beside a thrown bottle of Pepsi is art - the contrast between indigenous and consumerism. Or the horn-rimmed glasses placed on top of folders can generate a thousand meanings and prompt you to create Shakespearean poetry. Our experiences in life fuel our creativity. The more we experience life, the more we can create and re-create.  

But, the choice is ours. We chose our experiences. We chose what we create. We chose what to ignore. So, I made mine because I believe in better things. I believe in the ordinary stories, in the practical day-to-day life. I see art in the ordinary lives of people. Because with them, only the truth stands out. They never try so hard to please. They never show to impress. They struggle to live. And that's where the best stories are - ordinary people with extraordinary stories. 

I have wandered many places and met many people. And, always, I see wonder in watered rice fields. I see inspiration in the calloused hands of those who till the lands. I see horrors in the eyes of old folks who survived the war. I stop and take in the laughter of kids running around in wet slippers and muddy clothes. 

There are many stories to tell. In this fast-paced world where every clicks and every word we see online is paid for, it is sometimes a relief to hear stories that shed light on the most basic question in life: What makes us happy? 

For now, Photoshop and my oatmeal topped with mashed banana make me happy.