Much of what I discuss in this blog is very technical. But creating true, soulful art involves more than sheer technical mastery. Art comes from within. Often I refer to art as visual poetry. Each individual artist learns how to articulate his or her idea by understanding the tools, and commitment necessary to express it. The technique becomes the “words” used to express the idea. And the idea, of course, is the art. That is the simplest way that I can explain it.
My students often ask me, “where do I find inspiration”. Inspiration comes from life. It is much more than what you see in museums or galleries. It is what you experience in the every day. The things that touch you most deeply and leave lasting impressions on you. That could be anything from a sweet, simple moment like waking up in the morning to see a trickle of soft sunlight behind a closed curtain, to walking alone on a rain drenched street on a warm summer night, to the feeling of your lovers hair slipping through your fingers as you caress it. Feelings that are profound, whether it is love, sadness, anger, desire, or loneliness, are what fuel the soul, and, in turn allow one to express truly emotional art.
I keep a journal, and often I’ll do sketches for paintings based upon writings in my journal. The written word for me has a close correlation with the painted image. Journal writing has allowed me to explore thoughts that are rooted in my subconscious and, when translated into visual imagery, enables me to articulate the ideas behind my work. But often, when left to interpretation, my work will become to the viewer something much different than I had intended, and this is what I love most. There is no right answer. A work of art will create a different response within each and every viewer.
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