 Artists are beginning to realize that their own unique vision can be a source of inspiration to others during difficult times. A local artist/teacher, Janet Jacobs, recently sent me a link to her online workshop, “Sketchbook as a Place of Solace.” The title says it all. Your own vision is embedded in the art you create. You may rarely talk about it, since the art itself expresses what you want to say. Yet it can be helpful to articulate what your art is all about. Perhaps you offer an alternate reality, as the sculptor Phyllis Thelen does: “Through my art, people may escape to serene places of the planet and the mind, and take peace and pleasure from time spent there.” Your intentions may be more explicit. The jewelry designer Leslie Lawton describes her vision: “I want to empower women to choose to be visible, to make an authentic personal statement.” Your unique vision may grow out of your choice of materials. The fiber artist Carol Durham works in gut (pig casings), a material she uses because it is “not easy but challenging, as it gives me the ability to make uncommon three dimensional forms.” Or perhaps your materials and process open up the world of art to a wider audience. The artist Nancy Nichols teaches others how to paint with coffee because it takes the fear out of the process of learning to paint. If you haven’t yet articulated your own vision, think about how people respond to your work. What do they notice? How does it make them feel? How does your vision expand their world? Whether you are a portrait painter or sculptor, a photographer or mixed media artist, a graphic designer or comic book artist, think about why your art matters. ~ Mary
Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards |