> [!info] [the marginalian](https://www.themarginalian.org/2016/10/12/mary-oliver-upstream-creativity-power-time/) > The text explores the nature of concentration and its pivotal role in creative work, drawing on the insights of various artists and writers. Jane Hirshfield discusses how deep concentration unifies the self and the world, expanding one's capacity for knowledge, feeling, and action. The challenge of maintaining concentration amidst distractions is highlighted, referencing Eugène Delacroix's struggle against social distractions and Agnes Martin's advice on discerning interruptions. > > Mary Oliver delves into the internal interruptions that can be more perilous to creativity than external ones. In her essay "Of Power and Time" from *Upstream: Selected Essays*, Oliver describes how solitude and uninterrupted concentration are essential for creative work. She introduces the concept of the "intimate interrupter," the internal self that disrupts focus with trivial concerns, which she views as a significant obstacle to creativity. > > Oliver identifies three selves: the childhood self, the social self, and a third, creative self that transcends time and ordinary existence. The third self is where creative energy resides, driving artists to push the world forward, unlike the ordinary selves that maintain routine. > > She contrasts the ordinariness required in professions like piloting or surgery with the extraordinary focus needed in creative work. This creative focus involves embracing uncertainty and the unknown, making it an integral part of the artist's life and work. Oliver stresses that true creative work demands unwavering loyalty and concentration, viewing interruptions, whether internal or external, as detrimental to the artistic process. > > In summary, the text emphasizes the profound need for concentration and solitude in creative endeavors, underscoring the internal and external challenges that artists face in achieving and maintaining this focused state. `Concepts:` [[Art]] `Knowledge Base:`