There has always been a question about what an artist sees when he/she looks at an object. Why do they look at it differently and think, "I have to paint, draw, sculpt that?"
Artists have often been called day dreamers, but what are they dreaming about? Do they look at the sky and think," oh the sky is blue", or "grey", or "covered in clouds"? Or do they look at the sky and think, "what a beautiful cerulean blue with specks of white tinged with pink and purples?" Do they notice that nearer the horizon it appears darker than when they look straight up? Do they notice the grey in the clouds of white and also the reflections of the blue sky, or depending on the sunlight, sometimes green from the earth?
No wonder it takes artists longer to "look" at something than someone else who looks at the sky and thinks "the sky is blue". I wonder what makes them see the shapes of things, ad the shadows underneath those shapes? Is it a trained eye after many years of study, or is it something they just see?
As an artist, I do believe it is part of both. Yet, what is the spark that ignites the desire that somehow I have to capture this scene, or thought, that is rolling around in my head and get my hands to manipulate into something tangible, showing others what I feel when I look at that object? What passion drives us to want to?
Please share your thoughts on what drives you to do the amazing works of art that you do.
Back to the biographies of the artists at Seranya Studios Art Boutique (www.seranyastudios.com) in a few days.
Stay tuned.
An interesting comment on facebook when I posted the picture that is on the banner of Artheartstrings and asked what people saw. Someone said that they saw two angels, and when I looked again, I did too. Now, was I so busy dissecting the colors that I missed the best part?
ReplyDeleteAs a writer, I found myself lost in your post and how it feels for me when I try to capture these scenes or moments in words.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love what Frank saw! When I looked the first time after he said that, I only saw one angel. Now I see a mama angel and a baby angel, like the mama angel is teaching the little one to float (or fly)! Now I have goosebumps!
I know, I loved what he saw too--rather than the getting caught up in trying to figure out all the colors to paint. Sometimes our minds are our worst enemies and prevent us from seeing all there is to see in its glorious simplicity.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting subject for me. If I am working on a commission, the the subject obviously has already been picked for me by the client. But to the fun stuff: the fact is, at least for me, I do not find myself deciding on a subject, then deciding how I would paint this but rather it seems the subject just reaches out to me and says "now here's a painting; paint me". Now, what it is that triggers that magic I have not a clue other than when it happens, I know I feel good when I am looking at the subject. I also suspect that the composition that is caught in that instant of recognition strongly influences a decision as to what I want to paint. I have yet to paint an apple, and probably never will but I love eating apples and feel good when I do. So there goes that logic!
ReplyDeleteI hear what you are saying Richard. One can't describe exactly what happens in that moment when a "scene" reaches your eye, talks to your heart and then just HAS to come out again through your art. I look at a piece that I would like to do and instantly it is burned into my memory so that it is there when I need it. Now, finding my coffee cup is a whole different story-------------------
ReplyDeleteSometimes I get the instant "burn" I think you're talking about Lynda, but not so often. Do you find yourself changing the image when you are then creating it?
DeleteOh yes Susan. Sometimes what is in my mind is nothing at all like what it ends up to be, but then I just think--well, this is what was meant to be, smile and go from there.
DeleteI'm like you Richard - I don't know what causes me to "know" when the subject is right. Sometimes I have to look at the substrate for days and days... I have to walk past it, touch it, stare at it sometimes until the image in my mind just feels "right". This is especially true for me when I'm painting a jacket, or shirt. When it is a commission, my work doesn't often come with many specific requests, so then my goal is to understand my customer's personality. Commissions are the scariest for me - I've never had a customer be unhappy when I've revealed the finished piece- but I still always have butterflies in my stomach over it.
ReplyDeleteOh, and sometimes the design comes to me when I'm sleeping... does that happen to you too?
Ah that "sleep" art--I know it well. Sometimes it is so strong that it wakes me up and demands I at least put the idea down on paper,
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