Well, I have finally taken the plunge and opened a blog.
I am an artist living in Eastleigh, Hampshire, UK. I have always enjoyed creating art and draw or paint every day, just because I love it.
I studied for a degree in Fine Art Painting at Winchester School of Art and since then have spent my time working on a variety of illustration/painting work including pet portraits, murals, painted pebbles, children's canvases, and designs for licensing in the gift market - cards, wrap etc. I also run a face painting business with my friend Bernadette.
As you can see I have fingers in many pies. I have spent time wondering if this was OK? Should I be concentrating on one area? Wouldn't I get bored? Wouldn't I miss out?
Other artists seem to have one style they concentrate on and expand gradually - or do they? Is this just what we see on the surface - the projects that we see published are, after all, the only ones we associate with that particular artist. I wonder if famous illustrators; Axel Scheffler, Quentin Blake have secret sketchbooks packed with other styles of drawings. Perhaps Rob Ryan is a closet knitter, or Tony Ross enjoys making wood cuts - I don't know , but by the nature of creativity, it seems probable that artists have more than one string to their creative bow.
I have come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter. I have decided to create what I want and stop worrying - art should be enjoyable!
Hey! Good for you, getting a blog up :)
ReplyDeleteI think many of us are 'closet-somethings', while we share what we think we're best at. You're dead right not to limit yourself - I think if there are ANY rules, the first one should indeed be that creating art is meant to be enjoyable!
I see you mentioned your Dudio ;)
xx
Congratulations for taking the plunge and starting a blog. I've been sitting thinking about it, but you've actually done it! If concentrating on only one thing is the ticket to 'success' (whatever a person may define that as), then I've missed the boat because I, like you, have my fingers in many pies, too. And I LOVE it that way! I could see one area of our art potentially becoming more popular, but I hope I never lose the curiosity to explore many different forms of creativity and art. I find it interesting how different things (like knitting) can inspire/influence how I use colour in a painting. I'm convinced it all works together to make us who we are. I'll be interested in hearing more about your creative adventures. : )
ReplyDeleteFern, I would love to read your blog if you took the plunge. Since I saw your photos on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fern-Photo-Art-Cards/159017140830038?sk=wall
ReplyDeleteI am intrigued to see more of your work - knitting, photography, and painting. :)