An inquiry into the sources of poetic vision - Part II: The artist's transformation by the rules of play

Having explored the conditions under which an artist achieves an altered state of consciousness while composing in Part I, it remains to explain in detail how the artist's vision is altered during composition and what distinguishes a process resulting in extraordinary vision from more mundane acts of creation. Crucial is the artist's ability to maintain freedom in the presence of three poles of influence: self, subject, and audience. In addition an artist's satisfaction of the rules of play at the basic level of technique accomplishes a further release of psychic energy used to accomplish wider and more difficult maneuvers. At the same time the artist's absorption with technique provides a necessary distraction allowing the unconscious wider sway. The process is dynamic, affecting all levels of composition. Extraordinary vision results from the psychic freedom the artist achieves, the skill with which the artist treats his or her subject, and the artist's interaction with his or her audience.