Sep
In today’s commercial world it’s hard to put myself out there in the public venue. Every big box I go to has copies of Renoir and Monet. Every discount outlet has “original paintings” by art students forced to create copies of the aforementioned masters’ work. Even as a child it was hard to finish a simple sketch because I truly believed that my art would be judged against that of the world, rather than my own learning curve.
Throughout my life I struggled to conquer these fears while learning the steps I must take before the inspiration in my mind became a final product. One of the first freeing moments I recall was when I heard about the great artists spending evenings drinking in the pubs sketching on napkins. I learned that every error on a sketch became shading in the final product. These errors were coined “forgiveness lines.”
After forgiving my own mistakes enough to attempt a work of art, I faced the dilemma of outside opinions. A classic response received to my rose like, “What is that, a flower?” or “I just don’t see what you are trying to do?” became a hurdle that blocked my inspiration for months. I eventually found painting for myself not anyone else to be the answer to these and many other challenges.
Now after finding satisfaction in my own art, I face another, the expectation that I should be attempting to market and make profit from my art. This challenge is even more difficult to face.
Two choices face those who want to paint: learn to ignore naysayers, even those that come from inside your own head or hide in a cave and paint for your own satisfaction.
Tags: original paintings, staciblack
