Lovers & Haters

Had an art show tonight at Gallery 104. I love interacting with everyone and getting to know their stories. And of course I enjoy seeing people's reaction to my art. It's very enlightening and can be quite fun - especially when people find something they feel is unexpected, and tell their friends.

I honestly don't care if someone doesn't like my art. That's fine, my art doesn't have to be for everyone. But I do care when someone is bitingly and intentionally horrid about it. Which happened tonight.

I know that generally when I have these types of hyper critical encounters, it's with someone who inside is an extremely frustrated artist. But understanding does not make it less of a sting. Luckily tonight, after that encounter 5 people came up to me and said they liked or loved exactly what the other person had criticized.

I know as an artist, I shouldn't "care" what people think. I paint for myself, and I hope people enjoy what I bring into my work. However, let's be honest - art is incredibly personal. Every painting I do shows something of me in it. At the very least the emotion I was feeling at the time. And often my thoughts or feelings about life, love and the world at large. So when someone so expertly attacks my work, it hurts. And having people give another, more positive opinion, does help ease the sting.

For everyone who came to the show tonight, I appreciate you. And for everyone who is supportive of any artist - know your support is at times more welcomed than you may realize.

For another look inside the making of art see Keeping The Vision

Flip Side to Blasé

It occurred to me this morning that there is a flip side to feeling blasé about something that I use to be really excited, or at times kind of overwhelmed about (like standing in line for the art show submission). And that is - I have successfully stretched myself and my comfort zone. Making room for new things to feel excited about, and new things to make me nervous and possibly even a bit overwhelmed about.

Which is a good thing. Because it assures me, that those things I am now feeling intimidated about - like calling people I don't know in an industry I don't know to see if they would like to have my art in their business - I will one day be blasé about those things as well. And have moved onto living in an even bigger world than I am currently in. And that is pretty awesome.

For another look at the art process and art shows, see Cheeky

In Line For An Art Show

Standing in line today to put in my submission for Laguna Beach's annual Art That's Small At City Hall show, I realized how far we'd come. A year ago, we were excited about being in this show. And it is a fun, amazing show - something to be excited about. But today, as my girlfriends and I stood in line, I realized this year we were a little blasé about the whole thing.

This is because we have all been in a lot of shows since last year. And we all have at least one showing a month - so it isn't like WOW a SHOOOOOOOOOOW. Like we use to be.

This is good - it means we are getting that "exposure" artists are always looking for. But it's a little sad to think we no longer have that shiny new car feeling every time we do a show. It reminds me of an interview I saw with an actress on the West Wing who said that acting every day took the "preciousness" out of acting. At the time, I didn't know what she meant. Now I do.

That said - Art That's Small is a great show. I'm always amazed at the talent shown there, and how some artists can do so much on such a tiny amount of space. If you are in Laguna Beach anytime between now and April 29th I highly recommend stopping by Laguna Beach City Hall to see the show. For more info go to http://laguna-rs.civicasoft.com/cityhall/art/

For another look inside the mind of an artist see Flip Side of Blasé

Walking That Creative Tightrope

I've been working on a new design. Because I decided to create something specific for inside the home, the design process included talking to people to see what they would like to see in this type of art work. Last week I started hating my sketches. Then I realized it was because I had somehow lost my vision in the midst of trying to give people what they wanted.

Once I backed up, realized that, and started sketching again I was able to incorporate what people said they would love to have with what I wanted to create. Magic! And totally awesome. :-)

Always interesting as an artist when I accidently lose my voice or choke it in order to give others what they want. I'm much better at avoiding this particular pitfall than I use to be, but sometimes I still get pulled under.

I know some say creating art should be all about the artist. And a lot of the time, I would agree. But I find that at select times, when I chose to court public opinion, or do a custom piece, I come up with things I never would have thought about without their input. (Like the painting my sister asked me to paint for my nephew's nursery.) And those creations are some of my most favorite and fun pieces of art to create. Because when done with my voice in tact, they help me grow and stretch my creativity in ways I wouldn't have found otherwise.

Any other artists or crafters out there ever have a similar story?

For another blog about creating see Creation, Destruction or Both

Change You Creative Block, Change Your Construct

What I realized, sitting on my couch recently, after being highly productive in my studio, is that the BEST cure for creative block is a date or time spent with my guy. In that down time after the date, I have created some of my most original pieces, and effortlessly come up with the solution to creative problems that were bugging me for weeks.

When I was in college I decided that my art suffered any time I had a boyfriend. This is because every time I had a boyfriend, I would stop sketching. But what I now realize is - I stopped sketching, not because I stopped wanting to create - but because I was worried about what he might say about my art. (Which of course speaks volumes for my taste in men at the time.) I had been carry around this construct - that it was either art or a boyfriend - ever since.

So happy to have come to a different conclusion - and now that I think about it - better guys!

For another blog about the creativ process see Being In Flow