A small thing, or is it a being? The shape might fit into an oval, but it isn’t an oval object; it moves and changes, it has the intertwining of light that oscillates like computer motion graphics, and the solid shape resembles light, jelly, and transparent plastic, which changes at various times. It’s a thing to admire in our world. It could be put in a gallery. What is it? A cliched question. Have people said that it has a function? It floats around in the air and sky as it lands, molds itself into various shapes, and desires like all shapes with beautiful artistic appendages. It could weave strings of light into any shape, twisting and turning into endless avenues of forms unknown to others, forming a bridge that becomes a living thing; it’s probably not a bridge for walking on. People, called artists, molders, and engineers, sketch the strings of light into forms they wish to create, transforming into a physical image of light without it coming from a source. It starts as a point, and as the idea evolves, it becomes brighter, building a frame, becoming a skeleton to form that object, then with parts corresponding to organs, and skin forms, becoming a final art object. A created art form becomes a living creature that could form into more art objects. Think of a being or sculpture that is shaped into a state of a saucer that fades and then reappears. Its size increases to become a building, it remains in its place to be visited, and there is an admiration for its form.
On a panel of paper, ink forms to bring shapes gradations hard and subtle edges, forming in its own will, with no interference from an artist. On almost translucent panels, colors of light and pigment come into being, becoming non-representational forms. They are panels on the walls of buildings changing their representation every day or once a month. Art forms with legs become life forms scurrying about at high speed, elusive, never wanting to be caught. The artist who creates them is called the maker of living things. With their unique skill, they can weave cords of light or pigment on the surface of a panel to create innovative artistic forms that familiar artists seldom create. As the art forms become alive, they make other art forms that also come to life. Fire and water are considered materials to be manipulated into shapes of color and three-dimensional structures. A sculptor who uses their fingers to make flames into forms of their imagination, taking it to heights and innovations are never seen in the world. The fire is touched by the artist’s mind, obeying his or her command, and some flames become the character in the language of that culture. Word characters are the favorite form of the artists; even water could be made into shapes of imagination.
The art of feelings drags people into places they don’t wish to be; emotions residing in the artwork, what people feel is only a tiny part of it, some things come out of the frightening piece, beings incorporeal, yet physical existing between both worlds. A type of creature with several legs-like appendages, bodies in the form of a saucer with organ structure protruding out, and disease appearing, they impart the emotions of the artist who created the piece. They take people into the paintings, they are never seen again, or they become part of the painting. This is one of the descriptions of the creatures; they are in many forms and can’t be classified. The creators of this type of art are at times called wizards, the Aura-Laei-i, the scholars of everything, the crafters of all things, and the knowers of infinity; they call these crafting wizards the technicians of disruption and negative ways. Are they wizards? Is it a misunderstanding? Are the artists unaware of the emotions and creatures they are unleashing? Aren’t they just simple artists with no special powers? Among the arts community in the mythical world, there are people with particular energies with a side to them that commands darkness, unrestrained emotions, and anger; perhaps this motivates them to bring such works into the mythical world. There are unique houses of light, seeming to be constructed of marble with high ceilings reaching to the upper sky and clouds moving across the top; it’s a place where evil is unable to enter; an artist created it as a sanctuary against these hostile powers.
Structures without usefulness are said never to be lived in; they appear to be buildings, probably they are sculptures, once they are completed, forms change, and stranglers, travelers, wanderers, and people without homes use them as a place to reside. Observers had seen one of these structures described as composed of glass walls emanating intense positive light; at night, light appendages emerge oscillating, waving its arms as if it was doing something. Explanations were created, but none were satisfactory, were the appendages pushing away the darkness of things? The dark creatures had been observed invading the structures, but nothing has happened recently. Artists or artisans had emerged who challenged the evening that wasn’t the true night; they created whimsical, bright animated designs that vanquished the dark creatures into rooms of forever. In later years if the creatures emerged again, the artwork left on the walls of the sky, actually drawn on the sky, would appear to challenge any form of darkness.
As a crafter and artisan, there are no material or non-material limitations; forms are made with fingers that craft, touching light as if it was solid, with the addition of tools cutting, extending light into complex ways that make it seem carved or painted. Wizardry arises during years of experience and practice; the artisan crafter believes that the materials they are working with are living organisms; they talk with them and find their confidence, telling them that they will form them into works of art that become beautiful.
Art is the center of the many cultural groups of the mythical world, in a sense, is a spiritual core, including science and all the tools of the human race.
Robert J. Matsunaga
