Painter/Writer/Other

[La_]

I'm betting we're mostly painters her on WC!
but i wonder how many of us are also writers
or have some other outlet for their creativity (theatre? an instrument?)

i usually am about 80% painter, 20% writer, 0% other outlets exclusive to creativity.
but it does vary tremendously sometimes.

la

[Use Her Name]

I have a degree in writing. I was a very talented creative writer but gave it up after about 13 unfinished novels and 10 years of trying. I am not a painter, I am a sculptor.

[mame]

I'm learning the art of being old while continuing to try to paint with the eye of a newborn

[fritzie]

I write much more than do visual art. At visual art, I am absolutely a novice.

[artyczar]

I have been doing art, music and writing my whole life, but if I could only do art and writing as well as I was a musician, I'd be better off. I no longer do music due to illness. Writing was always on the back burner, but I finally published some poems last year. I've also been working on a book of creative non-fiction for the last 2 years. I work on that steadily a few times a week.

Painting is the prime focus though now since 1997, even though I was always doing it. It automatically became full time around then.

I foresee writing becoming more and more a priority however. I would eventually like to split my time between that and visual art. I'm still learning a LOT about writing though. I am virtually unschooled and unskilled. My BF is a "real" writer and I rely on him for a ton of proofreading.

[birdhs]

Being an "artistic-type" plays out in all I do.

I landscape.
I garden.
I have created yard art spaces.
It took almost 6 months to create 'exactly' the right paint color for the exterior of our buildings...and longer for interior spaces.
Interior design.
Custom designs of furniture, cabinet shop.
Woodcarving.
Stained glass.
Custom doors and windows.

Dabbled in most mediums with my paintings and children's book illustrations

and I proofread, edit, co-write and write children's books, short stories and poetry.

and I love photography and pen & ink the best.

and all of this seems to be perfectly normal to me. as a result I am never bored and easily entertained. wish I had more time in the day....

life is good

Greg

[artyczar]

Greg,

I have a "thing" for teardrop trailers, so I have been admiring your avitar for a while now.

And now all the things you do, I'm floored and interested in somehow seeing some examples of some of these children's stories, short stories, and poems. What are your poems like?

[Ivon]

I'm a painter - knew I wanted to be an artist at age 6. I also loved reading & writing in school, used to write short stories & read them to the class when I was in Jr. High School. My English teacher thought I should be a writer.

We studied "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" - what a great revelation for me - finally I could relate to someone who also spent an inordinate amount of time daydreaming. Up to that point I had always thought something was wrong with me because I would constantly make up long scenarios in my head, usually adventure & mystery stories with horses in it, where I would ultimately be the one to 'crack the case', rescue someone and save the day!

I can remember when I was a little kid in grade 3 we were given a handwriting assignment to be judged for accuracy & 'looks'. My paragraph was posted on the board along with some others, but I didn't win! I was really upset because I was sure mine was the best. I went home and spent hours re-doing the assignment over & over until I was satisfied that I had really done my best. Yup, I should have won. I guess I was (and still am,) a perfectionist. La, your posts are very poetic - I bet you have a gift for writing.

[theemeraldskull]

I am both an artist and a writer, though if I had to choose one, it would definitely be visual arts. I've wanted to be an artist since I was about 4 years old, and wanted to be a writer since I was about 9. Both are excellent outlets, in their different ways. :-)

[birdhs]

arty: some of our work is avaialble free on our website which also has a link to my birdhouses.

I have never attempted to publish any of my poetry except for Confucco's Song (and also is the basis for a stage play) which was written as an ancient Greek heroic ballad.

Greg

[Katie Black]

I have a passion for interior design, not that I'm doing that at the moment, but I always thought I might some day. Many years ago I worked with an interior design company and got to see some amazing apartments beautifully furnished, and many times I just wanted to live in those places...nowadays as long as I have a roof over my head I'm happy. If someone said "here is $$$ furnish my apartment" I would like to think I could do a decent job.

[fritzie]

Katie, I have wondered whether artists/craftspeople whose passion is dollhouses sometimes pursue that out of an insatiable desire to design and change up interiors. Somewhere I have an art book of dollhouses from a museum in Germany, all the furnishings handcrafted, of course.

[Katie Black]

Fritzie...you may well be right!...I never had a dollshouse, but I have always been fascinated with the detail and care people put into them...they really do love them.

[AGonzalez]

I am a writer and have only recently begun visual art. So, I'd say I'm about 97%/3% although I'd like to get to around 75% writing/25% visual art. I'm quickly finding a passion for it, like starting to recognize or even visualizing how something is shaded--although I still very much suck at shading and shadows lol. I find it fascinating though).

Alex

[evartpat]

99% painter these days, though I used to do much more sculpture. 1% poet wannabe...

When I get an idea for a concept I want to paint I often write some prose expressing the concept as a sort of "sketch" of the painting. Later, when the painting is finished, I will sometimes display the short poem with the artwork...if I feel it is good enough.