For me painting becomes an act of meditation - or reflection. It's not like I sit down and think, "today I am going to consider __________ ." It doesn't work like that. I paint, and I let my mind wander off in any direction it chooses. Sometimes I'm surprised by where my mind takes me....but most often it is a memory from my childhood that I ponder while I paint.
When I painted the Lemonade Stand for Superheroes I was remembering something my high school art teacher used to say to me.
"Stop being so cute."
"But drawing cute things makes me happy."
"Yes, but these things are cliches - you could do better."
Huh?
Oh, well. I knew I wasn't going to be Robert Bateman painting each fine hair on a bear, or feather on a blue heron. Fine detail made my head spin. I had a deep respect for my classmates who could concentrate over fine lines, and careful shading - but that wasn't me.
Today I paint what makes me happy. Little characters I think are cute - or seaside views like a rustic lighthouse - or my grandmother's cottage.
I wonder what my art teacher would say?
1 comment:
Interesting how you had an art teacher that didn't see the world as an artist should...as ART. Art is completely subjective, and if everyone had exactly the same style, it wouldn't be art anymore, would it?
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