I remember when I started painting, and like most people, I always tried painting 'pretty pictures'.
Of course, looking back, they never ever really worked out.Certainly not the way I envisioned them.They always lacked that certain something.
I would watch what others painted, and what would be selling, and I ended up in a complete tailspin, as I was seeming to tag onto the tailcoat of whatever the latest trend was.
So I made a concious decision to paint what I wanted, and leave the pretty stuff on the bottom shelf.
If my work didn't sell, then so what, as long as I had fun painting it, and I was learning lessons in the process.
Eventually I started to sell my work.
It wasn't necessarily the best work out on the market.Not at first anyway.
Because maybe I was now working on the creative plane as opposed to the competitive plane, I was heading in a slightly different direction to the herd. My work was, and still is, starting to stand apart and get noticed.
Being different is what most artists strive for in the first place.
If the work is honest, and has a passion inside of itself, then at some point the onlookers will seek it out.
When you paint what you want, and what inspires you, it will in most cases radiate out to all who care to find it, and a following will appear.
Being true to what you are doing, and turning away from the critics is never easy,because as artists we seek a sort of acceptance, and validation of what we do.
It almost goes against the rational thinking.
Persevere, hold tight, and as sure as you build it............They will come.
No comments:
Post a Comment