Week 11: Discovering My Style

The Artist's Way: (Link)

I have tried so many self-help books over my lifetime it’s insane. The Artist’s Way is the only one that I have ever seen that has effected my very core cognitive behavior in such a visceral way. I have completely restructured the way I think in an effort to produce more incoherence in my artwork.

Incoherence!

I want to get messier, to paint things the way I feel, and see rather than paint the objects I am seeing. I want to paint my feelings about the objects. And, translating anguish into a particular shade of blue, or happiness into a warm shadow is very freaking tough.

As it turns out, trying to paint how I feel about subjects is creating realism in my paintings through observation, and representation. Removing the physical aspect of the objects I am trying to paint, and feeling only the light, shape, color, and value. Trying so hard to paint things as you see them is an illusion. It is an effort to brighten the paintings on the cave wall, rather than to escape the cave imprisoning your creativity. You must paint them as they are in the unconscious. As they are in the realm of dreams and illusion.

In every way, I recommend doing this for yourself. Do the work, fill the well of your creative outlet, and walk the spiritual path to becoming closer to your inner creator.
 
-CP