An Artist Statement: Create, Share, Persist

 

 

“Even if you have not had time to put the finishing touches on your masterpiece, sharing what you have done with others is often helpful.  The process of having your creativity witnessed by another can generate just the insight or the catalyst needed to rekindle confidence.  But pick these witnesses carefully to make sure they are supporters and not riddled with their own agendas.  One model for mutual sharing with constructive feedback are writers’ groups.  See if you can create this kind of safe give-and-take relationship with another artist or two.”

-  Lynn Gordon

Have we written our artist Statement?  Do we even know how? 

My mouth speaks of death and healing

my brush paints healing

colors of cross-breathing

with a manic Muse who sighs

when my human hands struggle

to find hue and tint , tone and texture

of her longing wrapped in bubble of meditation

surrounded in love of divine creation

that whispers     yes    yes

that is comfort and care

of a wounded soul.

 

My hands seek bits and pieces

of life and startling significance

a ribbon, an image, a glassy-eyed girl

who searches for expression

of life down here that is hard

when you are split in two

by talents that aid one's ache

 

I could smear paint on my body

you could watch me dance

this difficult side-stepping

of what cracks me open

to find an almost Pandora's box

of what has need of being told

 

©Carol Desjarlais 6.6.2016

 

My name is Carol Desjarlais.  I am an artist.  I have always had a creative soul.  I took Art in University, used art in therapies in my work, and finally, retired, and can now do art for myself.  I am very much an imagist and creative expressionist.  I love mixed media and symbols and signs of a woman's authentic experience in life down here on earth.

Carol Desjarlais

Perhaps the real statement is that paragraph below the poem.  When I look at it, it is short and more compliant to what they say one should have in an artist statement.  Let’s look at some basics of an Artist Statement:

What, why, how?  These are the questions to answer in an artist statement.

Look at your body of work and come up with adjectives that describe you what, how, why. 

Tell me the story of your Creative Quests.  What feelings are emitted from your viewing work?

What mediums do you work in?

Why does your art excite you? 

How do you do your art?  Processes?

Create, Share, Persist:

When you are a true artist, you get inspired by those people you choose the kind of people you admire.  Make sure the kind of people you get inspired by are those who will nurture your own creativity.  Make sure that you choose people to inspire you are those who will offer constructive criticism and take their ideas in and let it settle within you.  Share your ideas and your processes with your people you admire.  Do not share with those who know nothing about your kind of art, or art in general. “Awesome” is not constructive criticism.  Let your admired artists give you hints and ask you the right kind of questions that will spur you on to do better work and help you complete a piece.  There is a time and place to share with others.  With the help of your ‘artistic tribe, your confidence will grow so that when you share with the public, you know what work has gone into the piece and the inspiration of your tribe might inspire others.  

Persistence even when you fail at a piece, or think you have, is what finishes a piece of art.  Even if you have to set a piece aside, do not let it simply stay unfinished.  Go back and complete those pieces you have set aside.  Ask the questions that count about the piece.  What did you hope to convey through doing the piece?  What is the theme?  Is the piece coherent, is it tied together so that it is a solid piece of art?  Take a photo of your piece and seriously look at that photo.  I really think that taking a photo really helps me see a piece’s flaws.  Don’t get stuck n doing one kind of art.  Experiment.  Think outside the canvas and the paints and the tools and the themes you usually do.  Trust your Muse.  Believe in yourself.  Know the rules of art and then break them.  Be persistent.  Yes.  Persist!  Gesso is an artist’s best friend.  When you can tell you simply have a block and the piece just simply does not work, use gesso to cover it up and begin again. 

We are artists.  Call yourself an artist.  You create, you share, your persist at your passion.  Be proud of everything you display.  You  know the work it took.  You know how you are a lifelong learner and you are doing the best of your ability.  Your pride in your art/creations will shine through.  Listen to what others say about a piece.  Take the prompts that come from what they say about a piece/your art and use that to make your art better.  Write your artist statement and then use that as your motto/your mission statement in every piece you do.

I love all your creations.  I see each piece I work on as a part of my soul, a newborn creation.  That will help you stay persistent when you hit a block or get stalled on a piece.

Happy arting.

©Carol Desjarlais 8.28.22

I did my first swipe during the night (my new creative quiet time).  My first try sucked, but there are some beautiful areas in it.  I slopped it on and did not watch when I tilted to let the colors run.  It wasn’t a complete flop because I learned somethings from the process.  First of all, KY jelly doesn’t work that well, for me.  (Yes, I tiptoed into the feminine hygiene area of Walmart and grabbed a bottle and paid for it at the pharmaceutical counter so I did not have to try to hide it as I went through the big check outs.)  I can see that I should be able to go over it again with brighter colors.  Yes, I could do that, and then clean up my drawing of the profile and even add another color to the background. Yes, I could do that.  So, it is not a total wipe-out.  And I cannot make it look worse, truly.  I never even shared it until now because it really is not something I could be proud of, Yet…