Different interpretations of the same view

Great artists are created, not born. Art is not a magical fairy dust bestowed on just a few. It’s the product of discipline and commitment and showing up every day. With the exception of the .0001% of the population that truly is born with extraordinary savant-like skill, the rest of us, as the great Chuck Close said, just have to show up and get to work.

This is how you learn to be a great painter. It’s also how you learn to be a great anything, whether it be in sports, a musical instrument, cooking — anything you learn to master is the result of a lot of hours and hours of practice. A lifetime, in many cases. So being outcome-driven really isn’t the point. If I had to wait a lifetime to be satisfied with my work, the long journey might not be worth it. It’s a battle, everyday, but my commitment is to the process. It kind of has to be, don’t you think?

On his deathbed, at age 91, Picasso said, “… and I was finally starting to figure this painting thing out.” While Picasso was an exceptionally gifted artist from a very young age, he makes the very important point. We paint to teach ourselves how to paint. If we had it all figured out, we wouldn’t have to show up every morning to paint. And therein lies the joy. The joy of art is about the process. If I had to suffer through the making of every painting just to be pleased with something at the end I might be missing the point and the joy. Art, as is so often the case, is a metaphor for life: Be in the moment, and the rest takes care of itself.

Whether you are an art maker or an art appreciator, I hope these glimpses inside the process are helpful. The best part about blogging is hearing from you; as always, we love to hear from you in the comments. Keep the discussion going! Every day, you can find me on Facebook and Instagram, where I love hearing from you and communicating. Hope to see you there!

Cheers,
Stephanie

Photo #1

You’re standing there on the shores of Lake Michigan. The sun is setting, the sky is lighting up, and both — bold in subtle ways — are taking your breath away. All set to the soundtrack of crashing waves.

Now, how are you going to paint it? The simple answer is: You’re not. You’re going to use that moment, that feeling, and that photo you took that doesn’t quite measure up as a jumping-off point.

It’s your job to interpret that view in a way that’s entertaining first to yourself, and then the viewer. So yes, use that photo as an excuse to paint. But then, please, please, disregard it. Unless you happen to also be a rock star photographer with a gig at National Geographic, the photo isn’t measuring up to that moment anyway.

Watercolor interpretation of Photo #1

So rearrange it and reinterpret it. The best way to do this is in a sketch or watercolor study. This is a practice I was really good at early in my career, which I later I abandoned. I’m getting back to it, because it is so much better to work out the details on a piece of paper than in the midst of a large painting. I’ve done it; I’ve painted all day, just to discover my composition needs to be changed. It’s something that’s completely avoidable when you do your studies in either pencil or paint in advance.

Photo #2

Now that you’ve transferred your sketch or study onto the early phases of your painting, put your photo away. Yes, you can go back and reference it if need be, but now is the time for you to be an artist. It’s time for you to focus on the canvas and your interaction with it and what the paint is doing and how interesting that is to you. Now is the time to be an entertainer: Use your skills as an artist to make the piece entertaining to the viewer.

Oil painting interpretation of Photo #2

This is why we create. We don’t paint to imitate nature; nature has already done a super big job of that. We paint to express our own feelings and interpretations. You have a permission slip to do that. And, frankly, I’m inviting you to. So go make art that is uniquely you, and all the better for it.

As always, I love to hear from you in the comments; it’s where the best discussions happen. Write down your thoughts, your ideas and your questions. And look for me on Facebook and Instagram, I’m there everyday!

Cheers!
Stephanie