In the beginning
Like most artists I’ve been creative in some way throughout my life, starting with scribbles in crayon to mark making in paint now. To keep things brief, I’ve compiled it in a highly professional timeline (aka my artist’s journey) that outlines the basics.
I’ve tried countless creative outlets at one time or another before skipping onto the next one because I have the attention span of a gnat. That, and I have a perfectionist in me, who isn’t happy unless I can do the new thing perfectly on the first go. Some practices have stayed with me or I dip into them now and again. Others, like “pyrography” using a magnifying glass (I don’t recommend this!) were passing phases. Unfortunately, all of this creativity never led me to any sort of formal artistic training. That is to say, no GCSE, A-Level, or degree with the word art in it.
Do I regret not obtaining a formal artistic education?
In short, yes. Being braver as a youngster and taking art GCSE might’ve meant things snowballed from there. However, my fear of not being good enough and my difficulties in getting to grips with drawing, meant I stood in my own way. I’ve grieved for the chances and opportunities I’ve missed out on, not only due to fear but anxiety and depression. It’s never too late to learn though and perhaps one day I will seek to gain formal recognition. For now, I muddle my way through with support from a coaching program that has been changing how I view myself, my art practice, and the value of what I produce. I am not less of an artist because I am self-taught and still learning. I’m just on a different path but isn’t that true of every artist and every person on the planet?
Influences?
Nature because it’s difficult to live on the planet and not be influenced by nature in some way. I’m a water baby at heart so anything to do with water from puddles to oceans, brings me joy. Second to nature, museums! I’ve always found art galleries to be anxiety-inducing with their eerie silence and weirdly intimidating atmosphere. Meanwhile, museums feel like home. I’ve been fortunate to work in two and loved my time at them. I tend to be drawn to the everyday items people used because there is a feeling of connectedness across the ages. Everyday things, particularly those we still use today, are a reminder of the shared human experience. Also, the everyday is infinitely less intimidating than the masterpiece painting that I could never hope to match. However, in recent years, I’ve made more effort to appreciate art galleries and it’s a work in progress.
Style?
For most of my life, I’ve been smothered by anxiety and depression and until I started therapy a few years ago, I wasn’t sure who I was as a person, never mind as an artist. In fact, I’ve only recently started referring to myself as an artist because I didn’t feel I was worthy of the title. So, the reality is I’m still trying to find my artistic style, developing and changing as I go. At this moment in time, what I can say is a love abstract work. I like coldwax with oils for the buttery texture and joy of using palette knives. For their unpredictable nature, I enjoy acrylic inks and resin work because you can have as little or as much control as you want over them.
I, and therefore my art, are an amalgamation of the things I’ve seen, loved, and experienced over the years. For me, that’s primarily nature, ancient history, and my personal mental health journey. I also have an overriding desire not to overthink my work since I do enough overthinking as it is. I thrive when instinct takes over and I allow the paint or other medium to do its thing, while I just go along for the ride. It serves as a way to give myself space to breathe and to be free when I often feel trapped in my own head. So, I guess all of these things are a part of my style and while I haven’t narrowed down the focus yet, I’ve got a lot to play with in the meantime.
Still in the Middle
As you can see, after years of dabbling in all things creative, I’m still on my artist’s journey. Moving forward, I want to narrow my focus to art I truly love and which hopefully brings joy to others. So, the adventure continues, exploring the options available, and discovering what kind of artist I am and want to be in the future.
Skip to the end (of the post!)
My artist’s journey in brief:
Do I have any formal art education? Nope
Do I regret the above? Yep
Influences? Nature, specifically the ocean. Museum collections, history, and cultures from around the world.
Style? Work in progress but abstract artwork influenced by nature and my mental health are currently where I’m at
Looking for more?
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