“Go ahead. Wander fearlessly down the corridors of knowledge.” - Esther Barazzone, Kirkland College
The blank page is scary. To start, you must make a mark, then another. That means you step onto a path, where all is possible but you must choose, again and again, with no guarantee. Like walking in the woods - is it a path? A dead-end? Are you lost or moving forward?
We make art because we long to. It’s elements call us: color, line, light, the very stuff of perception. We long to make something deep inside visible. Art is passion, risky and challenging, but at its best a source of joy.
So if you make art, you are already brave. Look at your tools. What’s calling you today? Pick up a tool and make a mark. Just one. Defy that blank page. Now, make another. Play with shape. Add color. Before you start to worry, get another piece of paper and start again. Start over and over. When the playful energy subsides, step back, get a cup of tea, and look. What happened? Which calls to you? Start there, and, thinking a little more, work back in.
Art-making is courage. But the truth is, there are no rules. You are free. It’s just a piece of paper. Keep trying, and let the surprises come.
Practice. Try. Look. Listen. Repeat.
You need to explore, so carry your best gear with you.
Stop and listen to what’s happening on the page. ]
Work on more than one piece at once.
Take pictures along the way. It’s a gift to be able to see where a piece came from and the stages it went through.
Stop before you are done. Stop when you are only 75% done. Slow down the closer you are to finished.
Remember that contrast is the most important way to get the viewer’s attention. Create from the heart. Use a limited palette.
Learn from folks who are ahead of you on the trail.
It’s okay to do “too much” - that’s one way you’ll learn what “just right” looks like.
These lessons swirl in my head while I work. Pushing the boundaries. I watch what happens. Ask, what if?
Making art is taking chances. Keep going. Let go. Throw and see where the toss lands.