A few focused months in the studio has yielded a lot. Spoiler alert – it hasn’t yielded any finished paintings or anything close to a what I would call a cohesive and identifiable style. That is not to say that I haven’t gotten better and that certain marks and specific squigglies aren’t starting to show up consistently. It’s just to say that this is a long-haul journey and I’ve only just cranked the engine and pulled out of the driveway.
What it has produced is a great deal of learning about materials, about myself, and about just how much I don’t know about making art. Fun fact – decades ago I headed up to old App State determined to major in art. My determination was almost immediately eroded by the imposter syndrome and by my sophomore year I had changed majors. Since then I played a little here and there in various artistic ways, but never have I dedicated focused time to studying and practicing art. Until now.
I think the return on these invested months will be a deeper understanding of who I am and what kind of art I want to make. As well as skills in the fundamental components of making good art (whatever that is).
