“Use all the talents you have now – don’t wait until you have ‘gotten better’. The forest would be very quiet if only the best birds sang.” Robert Burridge
I frequently hear, “I am not good enough to take that course”. “I can’t do that!” You don’t know until you have tried! Some of the best courses I have ever taken, were ones I was terrified to walk through the door for. We all second guess ourselves and our talents. What we need to realize is, classes and workshops are not places we go to show off. They are places we go to learn. They are safe places to experiment. There is usually no expectation from instructors for a student to go home with a finished creative master piece. The expectation is they go home motivated, and have learned some skills. Being a painter is about taking risks, learning techniques you will use to express that special something you want to express.
Along the Path
As an artist, I write a lot about the freedom to create what is inside you, your “Creative Spirit”. I talk about having a purpose for painting…knowing what you want to express. As a teacher, I tell you there are some fundamentals you should know to help you do that.
If you are interested in realistic painting, perspective is important! Getting it right on the paper before you paint is crucial. How you choose to fill it in, is where your individuality comes in. This is where your inner voice speaks.
Cliffs
If you are an abstract painter you need an under-structure so when you start painting, that creative expression will hold together. Putting paint on paper is fun, but sooner or later the painter should address the subject of composition.
It is only through good composition that the artist conveys his message. This is what classes and workshops are for; to learn the basics so you can reach the point of saying, “I am an artist”. This is my “Artist Statement” about why I paint.
We all had to start somewhere. If you are thinking I am afraid to begin, then you are the perfect candidate for taking a class. Take a risk and learn what you can do.
“I come into the studio very fearful. I creep in to see what happened the night before. And the feeling is one of ‘My God, did I do that’.” Philip Guston