Growing; Changing; Remaining

Did you ever think about how our artwork evolves over time as we grow in our everyday lives? Every time we have growth in our life, it is reflected in our Art.

Think about the growth we have in our work as artists. The piece you are working on right now has so much relevance to you. The color choices; choices in shape and design; of course content, all of these choices are dynamic, changeable and alive. Really, you won’t ever make that piece again, even if you try, it can’t be done. Your piece will evolve as you evolve. If you are growing as an individual, you will make new work with new content, design, shape and color.

Although of course, there is your Voice. The Voice in your Art is you. It’s the Soul part of your Art that could come from no one else. Which is why I love to see a roomful of students, haven been given the same assignment- in the end, during the Critique, when everyone’s work is presented side by side, it is revealed how different all the pieces are!

I always love Critiques for this reason and I bring them into the workshops that I teach, not to bring artistic feedback (which happens all through the workshop) but so that the entire class can experience the similarities and differences of each other and share together as a group in that one moment in time! (Actually I’ve taken to calling this time “sharing” rather than the college term “critique”). It’s really a very sacred time, even though at the moment a student may hardly notice what’s happening. When I look back on that time it’s a chance to add a blessing to the memory of those students. They are locked in time. We are locked in time together, having shared in the blessing of the Creative Process together.

How interesting life is, and how fun it is to partake together in each other’s Artwork and Growth together- discovering each other’s Voice and watching each other Grow!