I was journaling a few weeks back about all this art stuff going through my head; ideas for paintings, comix, Arthaus, shows, etc. I was asking the Lord "Why art? What purpose art?" because I was (& am) still not convinced what the purpose of pursuing art is. I'm pretty sure the Lord took me down memory lane to recall the one painting I've made that's been seen by more than just me and some classmates. It's a portrait of my wife and son when he was 1ish. It's not masterfully done (painting Jonah was particularly difficult for me) but it captures something about Carly and the way she cares for our kids. Her stepmom (who commissioned the piece) loved it and had it framed. The framer loved it and asked if she could show it in her shop window for a while. Customers who came in the shop commented on it incessantly. This isn't an ego trip but rather to say I was confused. I had managed to get through school without showing my work outside of class critiques very much so I wasn't used to people's reactions. What was interesting was that people looking at and liking my painting changed my view of it; I began to like it more than I had when I first finished it.
Since that trip down memory lane I have remembered several other experiences with my art going public (a video in a student art show, photographs sold at an auction) and I recall having the same experience of looking at my art differently, looking at it through the eyes of those who connect with it, like it & appreciate it as art. The answer to my question seems to be, "Because you can say something real in your art and people will listen."
So let's share: Have you ever shown your work in public (show, school, your living room)? If so, what was that like? How did people react when they saw your work? How is keeping your artwork private different from going public, in terms of how the content is crafted & how you feel about the work?
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
A place for artists of all kinds to engage Christ & the world, to encourage one another, to stay connected.
4 comments:
I understand your thoughts here, and my inspiration increases as well when other people comment positively.
What if people don't comment favorably? How does that make you look at your work? I know it makes you feel bad but, after the bad feelings, does it help you think critically about your work and how you might improve?
When someone responds to my work, whether favorable or not, i see it in a new light; i then start to see it through that person's eyes as well as my own. Once exposed to the public, and the critique which comes with the public, i see my work as a shared experience. It's very difficult to resolve to only accept my personal opinion of it, and no one elses, in fact i don't know if I've ever even tried. When I was 13 I drew a rabbit. Just a simple profile. My mom came home and was taken aback by it. She thought it was wonderful, wanting me to bring it places - show my grandparents. Frankly I was surprised at first, and then became convinced it was some masterpiece :) Before my mom or anyone else saw it though, I remember looking at it - pleased, but not nearly to the extent I would after showing it to my mom. I think I really thrive on the opinion of others, more than I would like. One reason I suspect I didn't pursue art in school was because I was very scared of being rejected; and then no longer being able to look at what I've created without seeing it as dismissible.
Rejection does seem to be key here. Or perhaps I ought to say vulnerability. I did pursure art in school and I hated critiques. I didn't have a good mental framework for dealing with criticism; I still don't, good or bad. This is probably why I have made my artwork such a private thing. I don't want to put myself out there and have to deal with people's reactions. But of late I have come to realize that it is good to put my work in the public eye in some way. (As elucidated in the original post.) It stretches an artist when they make their artwork public. As an artist you now have to consider carefully what you're saying & who you're saying it to. You have to think carefully about the craftsmanship. As a Christian you have to consider who you're representing. What will you say? I am loving this new (for me) challenge and look forward to moving from art that just happened to go public (a la the portrait of Carly & Jonah) to art that is created with the purpose of going public.
Post a Comment