Retirement: Online Art Workshops

Ramblings on the
"Create, make a mess, paint the page, just do it and have no worries mentality"

Why would an artist want to think like that? Why would someone want to take a class and have the instructor tell them that?
Most people are paralyzed over the fear of "screwing up" or "not being able to do it right" or having their work "not look like 'insert Artist X here'".

Here are a few things I've learned over the years-

A. You can't screw it up. You can't mess it up. No matter HOW hard you try. It's paint. It's paper. You can let the paint dry and paint right over it. Remember-layer, baby, layer! Seriously, most people are afraid to even dive in and get their fingers messy and dirty. You can't be afraid. YOU WILL NOT MESS IT UP. I stress keeping an art journal. The more you are able to play in it, the more will come from what you learn by experimenting. Take classes-learn not only from the instructor, but from those around you in the class and from your own personal experiences. Take the class. Learn some new ideas and then take the ideas and see what you can do with them.

B. Most people compare their work to "Famous Person Artist X". Ok, in all honesty, you do not want to be, nor do you want your art to be looking like it was created by "famous person artist X", you want it to look like YOU did it. Make an art journal. Hell, don't even call it an art journal if that freaks you out, call it a play book. PLAY in the damn thing. Explore color, line, texure, composition, just PLAY. From playing, from creating, from finding the direction you want to take, the floodgates will open. But you have to PLAY. You can NOT compare what you do EVER with anyone else's work. You want your work to look like you made it. I cringe -utterly cringe- when my work is compared to someone else's. I have worked very hard to develop my own style and my own way of doing things. I don't want my work to look like "Famous Person Artist X", even if that person was Da Vinci! I want MY work to look like I made it. Remember, most of the stuff you see in the magazines and books has been tweaked-it is MADE FOR PUBLICATION. (not all of it, but most of it). Remember, true art journals are made FOR YOU, and you alone.

As an artist and an instructor, I work very hard so that you do learn new things in the classes, not only new techniques and new ideas but confidence. I hope that you will learn and understand that you *can* do it. You need to find that confidence that is deep down and buried inside yourself. Kick that inner art critic in the rear end and realize that you CAN do it. Just think of yourself as an art explorer...

Any ways, I'm rambling here but the thoughts have been going through my head over the years. Please take the classes-learn the ideas, share your ideas, PLAY, explore and experiment, but then go home and see what YOU can come up with. Push yourself. You *can* do it. Remember-everyone is an artist. Everyone has a unique way of doing something that no one else can do.

Now pull out that journal and go make a mess.