The principles of Gestalt Psychology are fascinating in that they provide not only a unifying force for the viewer but a greater understanding of ourselves as humans as well. While I was reading the Launching the Imagination section on the Gestalt Principles, I couldn’t help but recognize that these principles not only affect my understanding of the visual arts; rather they also affect my understanding of everything in everyday life from making the bed first thing in the morning, to what music I listen to, to my routine and the doodles in between. Making the bed in the morning expresses our innate desire for order and equilibrium. This is the same equilibrium we can find in a symmetrical piece of art.

I found it interesting that while symmetry provides a sense of equilibrium, approximate symmetry can be disorienting. such as Richard Estes oil painting, Miami Rug Company. I can relate this disorienting sense caused by approximate symmetry to music. For example, when I hear the first few seconds of a remix or a cover of a favorite song, my initial reaction is to be excited to hear it. However, once I recognize that it is not quite what I am used to, the initial joy of hearing the song fades away. I experienced the same effect when I first listened to the the Broadway version of Les Miserables. While the songs are all basically the same and it follows the same story, I couldn’t fully appreciate it because it was slightly off from the movie’s version of the musical. Approximate symmetry, even in music, can be disorienting.

I loved how in Ansel Adams’ Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, the smallest, lightest object of the composition–the moon–held the most weight because it is the focal point. This piece of art, holds a particularly peaceful place in my spirit. It reminds me that even something which seems small, when made the focal point can unify the entire composition. The moon, holding a similar shape and size to the Eucharistic reminds me of an element of Catholic Tradition in which we believe that the Eucharist is the source and summit (in latin the “fons et culmen” ) of the Christian faith. To put it in art terms what Christians are striving towards then is to make the Eucharist the focal point of our lives. Just as the moon in Ansel Adam’s painting draws the viewers attention up to the velvety sky, so does the Eucharist draw our attention up to the heavens. Thus, not only do Gestalt’s Principles apply to visual arts and music, it can also apply to someone’s entire life striving in faith towards a focal point.

Fons et Culmen

I loved how Dorothy LeBoeuf’s quilt, while composed of a variety of textures, patterns, and colors, could still form a unified composition. I love this idea of every part of our lives even when they individually seem chaotic can come together to form a unified whole. This plays into the same idea as closure which is our tendency to create a complete image with fragmented pieces. We don’t need every piece of that around us to spell our perfectly our understanding of this world, for even fragments can form a complete image in our minds.

Overall, I love learning how the mind processes information and learning to see how this applies to both art and everyday life. I dare to hope that these ideas will help me to see more in my everyday life so that I might become a collector of ideas, bringing parts of my life from the rising of the sun in the morning to music to the depths of faith into my artwork.