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Quote by Stephen Nachmanovitch

“Here the artist is, as it were, an archaeologist, uncovering deeper and deeper strata as he works, recovering not an ancient civilization, but something as yet unborn, unseen, unheard, except by the inner eye, the inner ear. He is not just removing apparent surfaces from some external object, he is removing apparent surface from the Self, revealing his original nature.”

Quote by Stephen Nachmanovitch

Book:Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

Work

Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

This book delves into the practice and philosophy of improvisation, illustrating how it can be applied in both personal and artistic contexts. It examines the principles behind improvisation and its impact on creativity, innovation, and the human experience. more

Author

Stephen Nachmanovitch

Stephen Nachmanovitch is an American author best known for his book 'Free Play: The Power of Improvisation in Life and Work'. His work explores the application of improvisation in art and life, and how it can promote personal growth and creativity. more

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“To be rationally minded, the mental process of the intuitive appears to work backward. His conclusions are reached before his premises. This is not because the steps which connect the two have been omitted, but because those steps are taken by the unconscious.”

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“Mastery means responsibility, ability to respond in real time to the need of the moment. Intuitive or inspired living means not just passively hearing the voice, but acting on it.”

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Book:Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

Source: Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

“Improvisation is intuition in action, a way to discover the muse and learn to respond to her call.”

Way Action Intuition Muse Improvisation

Book:Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

Source: Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

“Technique itself springs from play, because we can acquire technique only by the practice of practice, by persistently experimenting and playing with our tools and testing their limits and resistances.”

Play Practice Limits Spring Tools Technique Resistance Acquire Testing

Book:Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

Source: Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

“Play cannot be defined, because in play all definitions slither, dance, combine, break apart, and recombine.”

Play Break Definitions Defined

Author:Stephen Nachmanovitch

“This is the evolutionary value of play- play makes us flexible. By reinterpreting reality and begetting novelty, we keep from becoming rigid. Play enables us to rearrange our capacities and our very identity so that they can be used in unforeseen ways.”

Way Play Reality Used Values Identity Becoming Capacity Flexible Novelty Unforeseen

Book:Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

Source: Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

“Play, creativity, art, spontaneity, all these experiences are their own rewards and are blocked when we perform for reward or punishment, profit or loss.”

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Book:Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

Source: Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

“If I "try" to play, I fail; if I force the play, I crush it; if I race, I trip. Any time I stiffen or brace myself against some error or problem, the very act of bracing would cause the problem to occur. The only road to strength is vulnerability.”

Ifs Trying Play Problem Force Causes Race Failing Errors Vulnerability Crush Braces

Book:Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

Source: Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

“If we split practice from the real thing, neither one of them will be very real.”

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Book:Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

Source: Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

“Brahms once remarked that the mark of an artist is how much he throws away. Nature, the great creator, is always throwing things away. A frog lays several million eggs at a sitting. Only a few dozen of these become tadpoles, and only a few of those become frogs. We can let imagination and practice be as profligate as nature.”

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Book:Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art

Source: Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art