The Amazing Creative Journey

Warrior? Egyptian Princess? Just plain bizarre? Whatever she appears to be she is close to my heart, one of my most favorite paintings.

Adding new techniques, taking workshops and painting every day is the way we grow as artists. My path certainly isn't linear, sometimes it feels like going off on a tangent, then making a sharp right, kind of like those molecular drawings without the science, or the lines connecting them.
It is great fun to let go and see what comes of the next, brief stop along the journey. While having a blast, I do feel like my work is all over the place. My BFF Rachel, and my artist-husband, Jim assure me there is a commonality among the diversity. 



That makes me happy, though I don't always recognize it. I wonder, how winding has your path been, is there a theme to your body of work, or several over time? So many artist I admire greatly produce fabulous works that aren't at all similar yet I can usually spot the signature, the one aspect that runs like a river through their pieces. It must be easier to see in others what we cannot see in ourselves.



A friend recently commissioned me to paint an angel, similar to one I sold several months ago. I found out just how difficult it is to go back and recreate earlier work. The one above is an option I wanted to give him because it's more current, the one below is as similar as I could get to the one he liked. It's the one he wants and that's great but I can spot the changes in technique, so perhaps I've answered my own question. 



How would you describe your creative journey? I'd love to know...


Comments

Sharmon Davidson said…
Patti, these pieces are all gorgeous, but that first one is just amazing! And I don't know what your first angel piece was like, but I'd be ecstatic to have the one you show here.
As for the creative journey thing, i think we all (at least this is true for me and many others I know) have had our phases of being "all over the place." It's important to explore this way, in my opinion . Then one day soemthing happens, and you realize you're following some singular idea and making a series. The work i see here on this post, though - the figures - could easily be part of a series, so maybe you are starting down that path and don't even realize it. Keep going!
April 19, 2015 at 1:37 PM
Patrice said…
I agree wholeheartedly with Sharmon. I love Angel #2 - a whole series would be perfect!
April 20, 2015 at 1:07 PM
Unknown said…
Hi There, I am a first time visitor to your site and I really like your work a great deal. My eye is drawn to the painting that you wanted to give to your friend but the one he chose is certainly very nice. I totally understand about the path thing. I've always created art and have taken what feels like a bizillion paths along the way. It used to bother me because I felt that everything had to be cohesive. But as you pointed out, even things that are very different have a similar this or that, something that says "I did that". It seems to me that exploration, turning one way or another, all of it is good because it's really a journey that we're taking. Life is change - even someone who creates work that looks amazingly similar piece after piece after piece will show a progression as they move along - no matter how subtle. Your work is lovely!
May 29, 2015 at 4:17 PM
Gaby Bee said…
Dear Patti,
Sending warm wishes to you and your family for a wonderful Christmas, and much health and happiness for 2016.

Gaby
December 23, 2015 at 2:27 AM
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