Can your art evolve on it's own?

[kiwicockatoo]

I'm interested in seeing how people's art evolves over time. This past october, I quit doing realistic stuff because I needed to make money and my colored pencil work was just not suited for ebay. So, I started doing quick little acrylic paintings, because I wanted to do something just for fun that I would be able to sell. As I was putting up an auction tonight, it occured to me that my work has changed considerable since I started. I have come to the conclusion that you can't force direction in your work. Right now I wish I could do bigger stuff (these are miniatures), but my work has been getting slowly bigger on its own. (the first picture is about 2 inches tall, the second six).

Does anyone want to share some specific examples of this? I'm not talking about stuff you've agonized over. I'd like to see stuff that came about spontaneously, that pleasantly surprised you. I'd like to see your significant breakthroughs. And I think it would be nice to hear other people's philosophies on moving forward in their work.

I still love realistic work, and want to do it, but I can't seem to get too it. I've been painting whatever pops into my head, and the more I relax and let the creativity flow, them more ideas I have. Over the last few months my brain's been running on overdrive. And with all the problems I've had this year, my artwork which has caused me so much pain in the past has taken on a life of it's own. Last year I would have looked down on this kind of thing, thinking it's too simplistic. I'm not saying this is great art or anything, but it's strangely satisfying.

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, wasn't sure where to post this.

[alsjene]

I think it definately evolves over time. Your perspective on life changes. I think artists who do the same thing over time are still getting better at their craft and you will still notice definate changes over time.
It's good that you are exploring other avenues it will only make your appreciation better and expand you horizons for inspiration.
One of the artists in my gallery did etchings for almost 50 years. She recently discovered painting for herself and now it's like color is a whole new wonderful world for her. She has taken her painful attention to detail that was born from etching to color and oils on canvas.
Good luck
Those paintings are definately awesome. :p

[Keith Russell]

No, my art cannot evolve on its own; my input is required.

And, my art has not evolved through rapid breakthroughs, but through a constant, slow evolution...of questioning, evaluation...agonizing.

K

[kiwicockatoo]

Thanks Als!

Keith - I do not articulate well. What I am trying to say is, once I stopped worrying what other people thought about me, once I stopped purposely trying to be good..... and just created for the sake of creating.... I am finding art can be an enjoyable experience.

For me life has always been a goal that I have not yet attained. I find that if I just DO, progress follows.

Agonizing is a good word I would use to describe my artistic progress in the past. I don't know where I will be in a few years, I've given up trying to see that far.

Aw heck, I'm not sure the point I'm trying to make here.

What I guess I'm looking for here is that breakthrough moment when you decided you were perfectly happy with who you are and what you are doing, despite the way you want things to be, and no matter how you feel at this point. And if this is a desirable state to be in.

Kieth, I'm trying to say I just may be happy with myself as I am right now. I recognize that I have more potential, and I am willing to do the work to get there, but the pressure is off me - I don't feel like a failure because I am not where I wanted to be by now.

Is there anyone here who is truly happy? I'm certainly not, but I can accept that now. I always thought the point of life is reaching your goals. Now I think I can accept that attaining goals is not always possible, but not a thing to feel bad about. Actually being artistic has always been a source of misery for me in the past. But I finally reached the point where I wouldn't trade my personality for anything in the world, no matter how it makes me feel.

Oh boy, OT, OT. Please, if anyone can provide examples of letting go, please post.

[Keith Russell]

Keith - I do not articulate well. What I am trying to say is, once I stopped worrying what other people thought about me, once I stopped purposely trying to be good--

But, these are two entirely different things, at least for me. I've never worried about what others thought of me or my work. I don't paint for a particular 'audience', I paint to find my audience. I paint what I like, or what I want to paint at the time (which aren't always the same thing, either), and I let the art attract whoever it will. I'm always pleasantly surprised...

... and just created for the sake of creating.... I am finding art can be an enjoyable experience.

I create for the sake of the process, and the finished image. I don't believe that is the same as creating for the sake of 'creating'...

For me life has always been a goal that I have not yet attained. I find that if I just DO, progress follows.

As long as you 'do' with the idea of improvement firmly in mind, yes.

Agonizing is a good word I would use to describe my artistic progress in the past. I don't know where I will be in a few years, I've given up trying to see that far.

Aw heck, I'm not sure the point I'm trying to make here.

What I guess I'm looking for here is that breakthrough moment when you decided you were perfectly happy with who you are and what you are doing--

Personally, I hope I am never perfectly happy with anything.

--despite the way you want things to be, and no matter how you feel at this point. And if this is a desirable state to be in.

Speaking only for myself, I don't think such a state is either desirable, or possible.

Kieth, I'm trying to say I just may be happy with myself as I am right now. I recognize that I have more potential, and I am willing to do the work to get there, but the pressure is off me - I don't feel like a failure because I am not where I wanted to be by now.

Now that is something with which I can (mostly, anyway) agree. I do believe we should strive to excel, but I also am trying to find a balance where I can accept where I am, at the same time I am working to improve.

Is there anyone here who is truly happy? I'm certainly not, but I can accept that now. I always thought the point of life is reaching your goals. Now I think I can accept that attaining goals is not always possible, but not a thing to feel bad about. Actually being artistic has always been a source of misery for me in the past. But I finally reached the point where I wouldn't trade my personality for anything in the world, no matter how it makes me feel.

Oh boy, OT, OT. Please, if anyone can provide examples of letting go, please post.

Letting go of what...in order to attain...what?

K

[kiwicockatoo]

Letting go of what...in order to attain...what?


Letting go of your dependence of other people's opinions to validate yourself. To attain contentment with you life as it is, recognizing that your life will change over time, for better or for worse, and that you will be able to handle whatever it is that life throws your way. And if you can't handle it, accepting the fact that you are not a failure for it.

It's nice just to live with the fact that you have potential in every aspect of your life. Right now I'm working on being the best person I can be within my limitations. Really, I'm a selfish, shallow, needy, demanding person. Ok, I can live with that, and not beat myself up over it, yet at the same time strive to improve myself.

[Keith Russell]

Letting go of your dependence of other people's opinions to validate yourself.

I've taken care of that.

I disagree with everyone. (Just check out the 'Debates' forum for ample proof!)

Really, I'm a selfish, shallow, needy, demanding person.

You sound like my kind of person. Selfish people are the best; the world would be better off if (far) more people minded their own business!

K

[kiwicockatoo]

Um, there are different kinds of selfish. My definition of selfish - I expect happiness out of life. When I don't get it, I withdraw and sulk. I've finally realized life is not just there for me to be happy.

Actually, what i should say is I'm quite immature really.

Kieth, sometimes you bug the heck out of me, but at least you're honest. Selfish is also expecting people to have the same opinion as yourself, and getting upset when they don't. One thing that I'm working on.

[kiwicockatoo]

Oh, and I don't go into debates anymore. At best I'm ignored. At worst they eat me alive! Much better to just sit back and be amused by the banter....

[kiwicockatoo]

Much better to just sit back and be amused by the banter....

See how selfish I can be!

[ElGeeko]

I think that is a basic question.. we are a sum of our experiences as well as our genetics.... with some of our experiences coming from our genetics.

I've noted a definite change in my 'hobby' over the thirty years of photography that I have enjoyed... 'maturing' for lack of a better word, as well as a narrowing of focus, but certainly not narrowing of sight.

Many folks don't even consider photography a 'fine art' per se, but more of a technical drudgery. Too bad... because photography can be both technical and technique-al. (I doubt that is a word, but I never let that stop me.)

I remember reading, years ago, an interview with Pablo Picasso... a man recognized for his influence and genius for many years. When asked, at age 91, I think it was, what he was doing of late, his answer blindsided me:

"I'm thinking of changing my style."

Ever since I read that, at about age 20, I've striven to meet that very goal, forever.

[Teddy Bear]

Hi kiwi, go for it. I have been struggling to get out of realism for ages and recently I have thought -- what on earth does it matter what people think -- and I have been painting with my own form of impressionism. Messy ? perhaps, but who cares, I'm enjoying it and, I sent photos of it to my Dad in England before he died and he liked it.

Teddy Bear.

[gnu]

some of this has happened naturally over the 2 years I've been painting...
these are both the same lake(same shore, different angle), the first is realistic, I really like it still..the second was much more spontaneous and I love it as well..it's also a knife painting..I have a lot more freedom..I would never have known I liked it without trying..it comes very naturally to me..
so first of all, I say try everything..you may hate it, you may love it..who knows?
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Mar-2004/7242-THERMAL_LANDSCAPE_COMPLETEsm.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Mar-2004/7242-IMG_1605Lake_Taupo_complete_sm.jpg

[TeAnne]

WOW you girls :clap: :clap:
Well, I love doing oils, they are my first love.
Never ever did watercolours cos I hated them. Now........
I have a new respect for them. They have a mind of their own and dry quick! AND are paying the bills I might add :D

She sold for double the price :D

[kiwicockatoo]

Woohoo Gnu, both of those are really nice! I like the spontenaity of the second - interesting how how the colors are reversed.

Te, I think you've been experimenting like I have. I love your new watercolors - it's fun to just try something new instead of agonizing over perfecting it. It looks like you've been having lost of fun - I think that is reflected in your good sales recently.

[Jet]

Hi everyone,
My own experience is the way i started doing digital artistic renditions on m my own for 6 months doingslow progreass; It all changed when i interacted with other's styles and ideas.

What follows next, are some thoughts i've posted on one of these forums some time ago.

I believe that we sometimes look at another artist's work and we see a 'trademark' in "h's" work, so much that we get to identify that artist with that particular 'effect'.
It's also true that inside every artist's cogniscitive mind there's the 'need' to try different approaches at their art, or risk getting stale and boringly predictable from that moment on.
So in order to bloom as an artist we sometimes have to get 'out of our box' and look for new ways for enrichening our techniques, when this happens there's a period where we go through a learning curve that sets us back to beginner's stage at that technique, and our former 'solid' style seems to suffer and look awkward to the outsider.

During this process, one feels as when learning a new language; That feeling of being as a child again. If we learn to embrace that feeling and be like children again, that is, being in constant awe about the new information our brain is processing, sooner or later we'll get the hang of it, and when that happens we'll take our old knowledge and make it work with the new, just acquired, knowledge, finding an entirely new way of expressing ourselves.

When that happens we get to "the point of no return" and we will have a new, stronger and richer style, and from that point on we won't be able to go back to be the former artist we used to be.

I love so much this quotation from a great american, which describes this process in a classy manner :
Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.
Oliver Wendell Holmes

Have a good one everybody.

Respectful regards :cool:

[alsjene]

That was a great analysis Jet thanks for my much needed daily enlightenment!

[JayD]

What Keith said--I have to be holding the implement of artistic destruction for it to move forward--If my art starts evolving on its own then I probably need to put it back in the fridge.

[kiwicockatoo]

What Keith said--I have to be holding the implement of artistic destruction for it to move forward--If my art starts evolving on its own then I probably need to put it back in the fridge.

Well, I would only worry if it's a sculpture... :evil:

[gnu]

Isn't that funny Brenda?? I only noticed the reverse thing as I was posting!!:D:D
Te, I am not a fan of fantasty figures at all..pity..cos they sure are popular!!
your composition here is amazing and great technique!!
I am churning out lots of Acrylics in Watercolour technique for the speed(and affordability..)..we'll see if they sell..How big is this one?