The Flow Channel as Art—and Life
- The Flow Channel
- Oct 29, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 5, 2019
by Chavi Parks
When I think of flow, I envision a special kind of concentration. One that doesn’t allow distractions to enter your mind. The kind of focus that allows your actions to become second nature as what you experience distorts time and makes you shut out everything around you except what will help you meet your goal. That’s the kind of concentration I learned when I transitioned to a project-based learning school in my junior year of high school.
There, I had the kind of freedom that makes people want to do more. In my old school, I tried virtually everything from welding to graphic design, but there was nothing that I was passionate about except track and field and student council. I figured I would either be in the Olympics or politics. My new school forced me to figure out what I was really interested in. The school gave me the gift of knowing what it was like to create something. I learned that I loved creating things, coming up with crazy big ideas.
As I transitioned to college, I realized that I wanted to own my own business, and am considering many possibilities from the things I care about.
So to me, a beam of light seems to be the best imagery to represent the properties of flow. The lighthouse is a reflection of guidance, the kind I got at the new school, and I wanted to show this through the distinct difference in color between the light and the rest of the scenery. The light cuts through the sky just as being in a state of flow cuts through both anxiety and boredom.
To me, the most interesting piece of symbolism is the boat. There's something scary about stagnancy, which the boat represents by floating in the sea of boredom. There's little mental growth or progress after you reach the point of being more skilled than the challenge you face. The boat can be interpreted as an individual going through the mundane activities of life. It’s up to us to make them interesting.
I love the translating of this information into an easier to understand form. Art can be so helpful as we can then make an example that looks the same to all people to better talk about certain topics. I especially like how we use mundane or normal imagery. I agree that the boat is an interesting subject but I think the light house and its possible keeper are more interesting because I think it brings up a good point that we cant always flow from where we are at any given point sometimes to get to the perfect blend of challenge and skill we need someone to light out way.
I really enjoyed reading this and it made me stop and think about how I would define flow for myself and in my life. I think back to being in high school when I was in gymnastics, during the times that I would compete, I was in such a flow state. When I was competing, I would get so in the zone where I would not hear my thoughts, but I would hear my teammates cheering for me. I realized that I have not felt this sort of flow since those times, but I have felt flow in other ways for example I feel flow when I am coloring or reading.
The Flow of Art runs through all <3 .
I really liked this version of the flow through art, it was well put together and made it easy to digest.
I enjoyed seeing your version of the flow through art. I also moved in high school, so I am able to connect with you. Being able to find what makes you happy is important important to remember in life.