Donna Frost

Chapter 8 258 Figure 8 . 4 Energy states (Figure 5 . 7 and 5 . 8 ) compared In the two illustrations in Figure 8 . 4 , both presented earlier in this thesis, there has been a movement of energy so that the second figure represents a figure who has found her place to stand. Balanced, rather than trying to balance. Using critical and creative critique, and therefore demonstrating what it looks like, instead of trying to understand what they might look like. The difference between ‘standing’ and ‘trying to stand’ is a subtle one and it illustrates the mystery of practising with professional artistry: one cannot ‘try’ to practise with artistry, one either practises with artistry or one does not. It seemed, within this inquiry, as if professionals who demonstrated professional artistry, or who had the potential to demonstrate professional artistry in their practice, carried much of the required energy alreadywithin them. Developing their artistry further was about learning to recognise and channel the energy differently, unbinding it and being balanced instead of trying to achieve balance. The paradoxical nature of human experience, human development and transformation is handled to a certain extent in the nursing and healthcare literature (eg. Parse, 1998 ; Bunkers, 2002 ; Parse, 2002 ; Graham, Andrews & Clark, 2005 ; Ramey & Bunkers, 2006 ; Parse, 2008 ) and in more philosophical works about transformation and becoming. Higgs, Maxwell, Fredericks and Spencer ( 2001 ) discuss the development of creative expertise, for example, and note that even as a novice painter Rembrandt van Rijn’s use of light distinguished him from his peers. This is in some ways helpful in understanding our being changed, as inquiry participants, and yet having carried within us the potential to become changed. It also suggests, however, that some novice nurses ‘have it in them’ to develop professional artistry and some don’t. Such a conclusion cannot be drawn on the basis of the findings of the present research. It is possible to conclude, however,