One of the best things going back to school has brought to me, is a renewed playfulness with my materials. Whether it's painting mediums, wood panels, ink, digital manipulation, I need to just enjoy myself more. One of my favourite artists, Jon Foster described in his book, r/evolution, that painting can be like "playing with colorful goop".(p56) I need to play with a wider variety of goops.
This year, I begin to feel I have painted myself into a self-imposed corner. The last two years, I have done a new painting for Darwin Day, and for each of my blogiversaries I have re-done my shale-painting blog banner. I have a list of "Need to finish" concepts a mile long.
This year I plan to break free of these self-constraints.
By the same token, I want to expect more of myself in terms of output. It's a daunting thing to consider: I am working full-time, in school part-time, doing freelance, looking for more freelance, blogging the journey and finding valuable time with my wife and family. I need to find the time to create art within all these responsibilities. I need to draw or paint every day. Every. Day.
I need to see a different face when I look in the water.
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Original artwork on The Flying Trilobite Copyright to Glendon Mellow
under Creative Commons Licence.
Flying Trilobite Gallery *** Flying Trilobite Reproduction Shop ***
I need to see a different face when I look in the water.
- - - - - - - -
Original artwork on The Flying Trilobite Copyright to Glendon Mellow
under Creative Commons Licence.
Flying Trilobite Gallery *** Flying Trilobite Reproduction Shop ***
5 comments:
That reminds me a lot of the lights and faces of the dead in the water during that one part of LOTR...the dead marshes? Very evocative.
I agree Sci. That was the first thing I thought of, the LOTR imagery. Reminds me of Gollum, or the faces in the marshes.
Great geek minds think alike. :)
Being young my self i cant offer any real advice worth taking on this situation, but knowing a few mature artists i can say that many seem to struggle once they get into family life.
i suppose it might be one of those things where you have to reevaluate what you want to do with your art and what the best way of acheving it would be, perhaps certain sacrifices need to be made or perhaps things arnt as dreary as that and all you need to do is spend your lazy time how ever big or small it is improving your creative out put.
Marco.
You're right Marco, changing how I spend my lazy time has been a big help the last couple of years. I have a hard time relaxing, even on vacation, because I always feel I need to be drawing or painting.
I think I'm feeling restless these days. I'm almost finished my bachelor of fine arts degree, and what comes next is on my mind a lot.
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