The Measure of Art's Success

Art is the only area of my life that I can afford to be fearless. In general, what prevents people from creating art is the fear that they're not good enough. They're worried about the "judges" and criticism. But my attitude is f*%& it, if you don't like my art I don't give a shit.

I don't care because I'm not seeing the judges when I look into paint, I see a quiet unformed world that doesn't exist yet, that won't exist unless I make it exist. It is a 40x60 inch white curtain that I pull back with fingers, brushes, wires and palette knives.

Does anyone care that I create art? Probably not. Does it garner me accolades or attention? Probably not. (another reason why people don't make art) And it sure as hell has no monetary pay off. Yet I always find myself standing in front of an easel again and again. Dozens of sketchbooks piling in corners of long lost territory. A creep of disappointment and pride when I look back through pages and paintings past - flipping through and seeing progress.

In high school they tell you what's wrong with it. In college they hang it up on the walls with your peers and judge it against theirs. In 3D design in college my professor consistently failed me because I couldn't "achieve" his abstract idea of perfection. I was too exact, too realistic. I put 26, 41, 52 hours into projects that resulted in C's and D's and F's. In school they show you what art "should" be. But I don't give a fuck what it should be. I know what it is for me and that's good enough.

A lot of people measure artistic success by whether or not you've "made it" into a museum or gallery. But maybe, just maybe, that doesn't mean you've succeeded, maybe that means in some way you've failed.









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

RAWK Holiday Art Show

Image
Do you live in Houston? Do you enjoy looking at beautiful artwork, having a fun date night with your honey bun, meeting new people, having fun and supporting the hopes and dreams of this artist right here? Than come to the RAWK Holiday show, featuring yours truly! Tickets are only $15, and you're in no way obligated to buy anything. You can just come and have a blast if you want! I'm thrilled that I was scouted through my Etsy shop and made a featured artist in this show. It's such a fantastic opportunity as an artist, and an awesome belated birthday gift for me. So if you're able to come, I'd be thrilled to see your smiling face there on December 11 at Stereo Live in Houston. You're support means so much to me, even simply buying a ticket if you're not able to come would help me out a ton. To buy tickets go here:  http://www.rawartists.org/lizrector Thank you to all my friends and family who have encouraged my artistic development through the year...
Read more

Things You May Need to Hear

Image
There is a good chance that you need to hear at least one of these things at this moment or throughout the new year: 1. Stop looking at your anger or anxiety as a wall you keep running into. Instead, look closely at the bricks that make up the wall. Attack the wall one brick at a time and watch the wall disappear. 2. Fear is an illusion. When anxiety strikes, you have to lean into it to get out of it. 3. You are where you need to be. Even if you feel stuck, even if you hate it, even if you don't understand it - stop trying to escape, and start asking yourself what you can learn from this. 4. People who don't have a clear sense of their own identity latch on to others. They turn their insecurity into gossip, their anxiety into manipulation, their inferiority complex into sabotage. Remember that you are a separate organism and that you can choose to either let their toxins in, or keep them out. Don't take on others' baggage before unpacking your own. If you ca...
Read more

Analysis of Gerrit Dou's "Dentist by Candlelight" by Liz Rector '09

Image
The piece I have chosen to analyze is Gerrit Dou’s Dentist by Candlelight. A Dutch painter from the 1600’s, Dou began this piece that explores everyday life in 1660 and completed it in 1665. Painted with oil on oak panel (14x10 in.), the piece, which is mostly bathed in blacks and grays, has an eerie lure to it. Entrapped on the oak is a man with his mouth agape, sitting in a wooden chair, wearing a distinct look of anticipating agony. The man looks to the ceiling, where his eyes are met with an alligator hanging from the ceiling; the alligator’s mouth agape as well, with its underbelly aglow. The dentist holds a single candle to the man’s face with one hand, and with the other holds back the patient’s forehead. A concerned wife stands before the man, holding his hand, which is securely fastened to the arm of the chair. The viewer anticipates action, as the scene seems ready to unfold at any moment. The three people in this situation form a sort of circle through their lit facades and ...
Read more