It
can be elusive, the creativity, the emotion, release of something inside
oneself, the sense of projecting yourself through art. To some it can be threatening and something to
avoid at all costs, to others it is a portal that is worthy of pursuit. Self-expression through art may sometimes be
achieved as you strive with attempts to create a reasonable facsimile, or
better yet, your own interpretation of an image, someplace that speaks to you,
something or someone that holds special meaning to you. Capturing and holding onto the creative spark
can be difficult and it is helpful to find a group of like- minded people who
share the rush when the creative juices are flowing and to help prime the pump
when they are not.
We
listen, learn, and may be challenged with the many layers of complexity
concerning color, values, soft and hard edges, composition and brush strokes as
well thumb nails sketches. It's a continuous struggle to find that place where
your creative drive finds synchronization with artistic technique. Success occurs in varying degrees, but one
hopes for gradual and steady progress and the occasional personal gratification
of a piece just finished that just seemed to work. Or, it may occur on a piece that slowly crept
out as you were incrementally rewarded for the right combination of discipline
and experimentation and the application of successful techniques to canvas. Searching for and finding that sweet spot
where you apply the disciplines learned while at the same time getting loose
and just letting it flow is the goal. The
reward might be that of a piece of work that could convey a peaceful serenity,
a swirling wind, the chill of a winter night or heat of a summer day, the glow
of sunlight, distant mountains, a rushing stream, reflections off the water or
the feeling of actually being there for the viewer. This doesn't happen by accident.
A competent teacher with not only knowledge
but ability in multiple mediums is essential. Also required is the ability to provide
constructive critical feedback and be willing to repeat it as many times as
required until we finally demonstrate that we get it on the work we perform. Learning something from each piece is
important and is the foundation from which our progress is dependent. It requires a special gift to achieve all of
this while providing the students with a continuous flow of shared art learning
experiences from years of study and work as well as fun and laughter.
It
may have been serendipitous to end up in such a class, but once found, the
level of enrichment to your artistic endeavors will be richly rewarded.
