Making Abstract Paintings
Abstract painting has nothing to do with making an abstract painting. It has to do with your ardent need to create. That is, your need to create a painting that has meaning. It's the core of why we paint in the first place. These days, artists can learn slick techniques everywhere they turn. But that's old stuff for most of us. Being creative takes a little more attitude and a lot of courage. Why do we remember DaVinci's "Mona Lisa," Matisse's "Dancers," or Picasso's "Guernica"? Not because of technique but because of creative substance.
Take the Time to Think Differently
Being creative also takes your time. The problem with our fast electronic life style and the frantic energy that is spent using time efficiently, is that it undermines creativity. After all, creativity is usually something that happens while you're doing something else. (Ideas come to you while in the shower, for instance) But if your brain is always multi-tasking or responding to techno interruptions, there is no time or energy for undirected mental play. Furthermore, if you are consumed by the same old information loop circulating around your same old friends, you don't have anything to stimulate you into thinking differently. By taking the time to paint creatively you'll be able to experience life instead of information. You'll be able to reflect instead of react.
Your Own Voice
If you paint to copy others' works, your work becomes anonymous and you've taken away the chance of personally understanding and knowing how to see. The greater your intentions in making a creative painting, the greater your painting will be. A painting that does not radiate your personal creative substance is not worth looking at.
What Would You Attempt to Paint if You Knew You Could Not Fail?
My advice to anybody who wants to be creative is to get into something that will fail. (Like painting new works.) I've failed at a lot of paintings and I hope to fail at a lot more. Most people are afraid to fail, but once you've made a failed painting, you find out it's not that terrible of an experience. Just a little humbling. There's a sense of freedom that you get from taking chances and that's when your best work appears. I'm reminded of Kris Kristofferson's line in his song "Me and Bobby McGee:" "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose..."
To be creative, you have to be incredibly positive. You have to believe that anything is possible. And once you start painting your "abstracts" with a positive approach, it's exhilarating and life-affirming. You have to want to make a creative abstract painting. It won't happen by itself. And it won't appear automatically. But it will suddenly appear if your ardent need to create is foremost in your mind.
How to Live Your Dream
1. Invest some time in yourself.
2. Surround yourself with supportive people.
3. Lean over the edge a little.
4. Test out your dream.
5. Talk to others.
6. Be passionate about it.
7. Take the high road - you'll look and feel better.
8. Stick with it - even though you don't want to.
9. Be out of touch so you can get away.
10. Cut away all the extraneous stuff that does not serve you. |
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