- Henri Matisse
A daily practice of sketching and painting gives you a chance to exercise the big three P's - practice, practice, practice!
Roses - Watercolour on Ashrad hot-pressed 6" x 8" - Maree©
When I woke up this morning, I thought, "What is my agenda for today?" so I decided that, today, I will just sketch - anything, everything, landscapes, flowers.
I've been wondering about my "style" lately - have I got a "style"? Are people able to look at my art and say "that is a Maree Clarkson"? Isn't that perhaps what art is all about, finding your niche and sticking to a recognisable format and "style"?
It's been a long time now that I've been berating myself for being such a "Jack of all trades" - sketching and painting, making jewelry, can do wood carving, copper work, pewter work, bead work, and the list is longer that what you want to know - thinking that I should be specialising in something special, something unique, or only one thing, even only sticking to one subject in painting, and then I came upon this quote this morning:
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, Conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects."
-- Lazarus Long
What a relief! Matter cleared up! How easily aren't we persuaded by the opinions of others...?!
Maree-I arrived at your site via the Sketching In Nature blog and have been enjoying your posts. This particular post interests me because I think you put your finger on a wide spread question: how to demonstrate a style (or even if this should be the goal). I laughingly call myself The Generalist. I find that with my art quilts that I draw on a lot of different things: sketching, painting, needle work, etc. I too wonder if I settled on one thing would that show up in my work? Food for thought:)
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about trying to find your own style. When I look through my own work It all looks so different! I don't think I have foud a style at all. However, with watercolours I know that I want to go 'loose'! Watercolour just begs for that! I think the looser and less played around with the better because the colours remain fresh and clean. I really like this one Maree. Will you be doing some more? As for Lazarus Long's list - Well I did all of that before breakfast!
ReplyDeleteI think you have a style, Maree! A lovely style!
ReplyDeleteI think anyone who has painted creatively can't help but have a style. Should it be a goal? Hmmm, I think it's a given. We have styles. Sometimes not the one we think we want (like curly hair instead of straight) but a style all the same. I think the goal (for me) is more about making the most of the talent I have. Seeing how far I can go, what I can do, how will learning this affect that. Which leads to being a jill of all trades rather than a mistress of one....our work is affected by all that we do, all that we learn. How could that possibly be a bad thing?
Well, welcome via Sketching in Nature Libby! - and you're so right - I've come to the conclusion that it shouldn't be a goal and that one should just follow the creative flow.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to know where you're headed Sandra, and as long as we get pleasure while on the journey, that's all that counts. And as for Lazarus's list, you're super-woman too?!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your encouraging words Laure, and you're right - we can learn to do things differently, but that inherent 'style' is definitely a given and will always be there. That's part of growth and can only be a good thing!
ReplyDeleteGosh Maree, that old question of style rearing its head again. I think you have quite a distinct style particularly relating to your landscapes. I wouldn't have recognised the roses as yours simply because you don't seem to do roses! But when really looking at them, you can see that they are Maree Clarkson. And as for that list - apart from the hog thing, the rest is a piece of old takkie!
ReplyDeleteThank you Liz! That settles that then! I don't often do flowers, don't like to... and I agree about the hog!
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