Art! The Perspective in the Creative Process: Part V

Here again with another perspective venture, on course with a series of articles that have direct and informative takes from various professional artists culminated from a succession of personal interviews. This following excerpt was from an interview with a visual artist, working primarily with the acrylic and tempera mediums, in a category that would most aptly be described as Modern Contemporary. With considerable persistence and dedication, this individual has been able to sustain a living as an artist by exhibiting in galleries and in having varying degrees of support among private collectors.

As with a large number of artists whom thrive without notoriety or financial success, some continue in their professional careers for decades producing and selling works. Here, is an excerpt from another artist with 25 years of life experience view, on just how unique and consuming the process can be for some working individuals in the pursuit of perfection.

For this person there are several factors that set the stage in advance to the approach for composing a painting. “It’s not always about the specific subject matter of the composition that is the concern when I’m starting a work. Nor is it the financial situation or publicity attached that affects me most. I consider a number of other things at hand for my working procedures. Things such as who is the work for, what other work do I have pending, and what frame of mind am I in at the time, and so on. My mood makes a big difference in the overall scheme of things before I get started with something. I’ve got to be very comfortable in order to work. I don‘t ‘jump’ in to anything…”

“In these different situations I find some of the emotions that may affect me when starting with a commissioned piece, are different than those that come about when preparing for a solo exhibit or a group showing. It’s secondary in thinking about the ‘picture’ I’m looking for; i.e. a landscape, a portrait, a still-life, an abstract or what have you, and just where it will fit within the context or atmosphere of where it might initially be going to hang. At times I want to see the finished piece in my head before I begin the work. There can be quite a few factors that play into accepting, or getting started with things for me…”

Atmosphere indeed! So is it, then, that one can start to manipulate the suggestions of the imagination, and expand from the minds eye of the emotional observations that occur, and then, metamorphose into a completed piece of work? A poignant visual puzzle, where the pieces are expressively put together and in turn materialize into a multi-dimensional surface presentation of ‘Visual Art’! Much more then just a picture… Another working artist mind-set with process & affect within the procedures of the creative process.