Thoughts on my creative process...
People often ask me to describe the process of creating a particular piece of art, as if it were a linear process, or all of it took place on a conscious, well thought-out level and I have words to describe it. Most of the time, at least in my case, it doesn't. Many times, I am working on a bit here, a bit there, and images come together over the course of several days or weeks, sometimes even months!
I think that, despite the difficulty I have in doing so, writing about my creative process will make it--and my work--not only more accessible to others, but to myself as well.
Where shall I begin?
Inspiration
I begin, just as everyone does, with a blank sheet of paper or canvas. Honestly, very few things intimidate me more than the empty white space. If that remained my primary focus, I'd never create. My ideas come from books, magazines, poetry, music--everything that I take in that becomes a part of me is subject to use in my art. There are elements from conversations I have, graffiti and murals and other images I see, things I read, the urban environment in which I live...literally everything.
I see or hear something or I have a dream that triggers an idea...
Execution
I then draw it, of course. Either directly to watercolor paper or canvas, or in my sketchbook, depending on how much of an idea I have at the time, where I happen to be, and what materials I have available at any given time. Sometimes, I'll put elements of different sketches together to create something new...
A piece is done when...well, when it's done. It very well can be overdone, but one comes to learn when a given piece is complete; a story is told, a point is made. It is said that a painting is never finished, it simply stops in interesting places, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Giving Works a Title
Works give themselves titles. They usually come to me while I'm painting or soon after I've finished, and are based on, well, anything...
I think that, despite the difficulty I have in doing so, writing about my creative process will make it--and my work--not only more accessible to others, but to myself as well.
Where shall I begin?
Inspiration
I begin, just as everyone does, with a blank sheet of paper or canvas. Honestly, very few things intimidate me more than the empty white space. If that remained my primary focus, I'd never create. My ideas come from books, magazines, poetry, music--everything that I take in that becomes a part of me is subject to use in my art. There are elements from conversations I have, graffiti and murals and other images I see, things I read, the urban environment in which I live...literally everything.
I see or hear something or I have a dream that triggers an idea...
Execution
I then draw it, of course. Either directly to watercolor paper or canvas, or in my sketchbook, depending on how much of an idea I have at the time, where I happen to be, and what materials I have available at any given time. Sometimes, I'll put elements of different sketches together to create something new...
A piece is done when...well, when it's done. It very well can be overdone, but one comes to learn when a given piece is complete; a story is told, a point is made. It is said that a painting is never finished, it simply stops in interesting places, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Giving Works a Title
Works give themselves titles. They usually come to me while I'm painting or soon after I've finished, and are based on, well, anything...