Do you still make art?

I haven't done any artwork for about a year. I have shown in the past and had offers to buy some of my paintings, but I value them higher than anyone wants to pay. I incorporated different techniques and each painting is unique and even I cannot reproduce it. I use acrylics on hardboard (masonite) for painting and just a pencil and computer paper for my drawings. I also did wood cravings and sculpting including chainsaw art.

My last show was about 5 years ago and it was for portrait studies in black and white. Too many critics claim to be art experts and not enough people appreciate the complexity of simplicity and individual concept.

My eyesight makes it a bit of a challenge, but mostly I have lost interest. Art, music, and writing all seem like an exercise in futility to me these days.
 

Here is one of the last things I did. I had several scrapes of juniper that
I had sawn myself 40 years ago that was left over from string instrument
making. I decided to do some carving. This took about 10 minutes. Simple
but I prize it as much as a painting that took a week to paint.

The thing is when I painted, carved, or did studio work, I got little else done.
I couldn't stop once I got started on a project. Not healthy.
FF jun gallo.jpg
 
MsFox said:
Here is one of the last things I did. I had several scrapes of juniper that
I had sawn myself 40 years ago that was left over from string instrument
making. I decided to do some carving. This took about 10 minutes. Simple
but I prize it as much as a painting that took a week to paint.

The thing is when I painted, carved, or did studio work, I got little else done.
I couldn't stop once I got started on a project. Not healthy.
View attachment 243610
Click to expand...
Not healthy? Being creative is a good thing!
 
TP09518-09553-5x1vy.jpg


At age 73.9 I'm an active landscape and nature photographer and plan to continue such for years. Some of my images take hours to tediously process. Yesterday processed a huge 14,000 by 5900 pixel 5 frame focus stack stitch blended image, composited from 35 individual shots, I had shot in late June that the above is a small 2000 pixel wide downsized version of. The below is a 100% crop of the skyline center image showing the real detail. Being creative has always been a significant part of both my personal and career life. Have not been the couch type watching others on the boob tube live, but rather getting out living my own life.

TP09518-09553-5x1v-cr1.jpg
 
Last edited:
I should do more art, I think we all should. My desire to do art fights with my compulsion to have everything tidy all the time, so I've taken to small projects and less messy ones.

My father was a professional artist and although water color was his main medium he also painted in oils and pastels, but the thing he did that inspires me was a few very fine pictures done entirely in crayon. I can get out some good paper and my orchestra set of crayons and have a good time without making any mess and easily fold it away if I haven't finished.

The other day I was outside and looked back at the house to see my (usually nervous) son framed in his bedroom window cutting something out of construction paper and he looked so incredibly peaceful. There really is a special sort of relaxation that comes from creative, artistic concentration that I think we all benefit from.

None of it has to be judged, not even by yourself. Cut out paper dolls! Color in a coloring book! It's all good and very anti-depressant.
 
Pinky said:
Not healthy? Being creative is a good thing!
Click to expand...
It wasn't healthy for me because of all the sitting, skipping meals, and not much sleep. Also, woodworking was hard on my elbows requiring steroid shots which led to cataracts and glaucoma. The cataracts are removed but glaucoma will never improve.

I still do occasional Spanish classical/flamenco/mariachi guitar practice, but with bad hearing sometimes my one good ear goes into hyperacusis and that stops the music in a hurry. I still do some cowboy poetry and comedy, but not many appreciate it, so it is easier to get on forums and cause dust-ups hahaha!

If I could discipline myself, I would return to doing some painting, but so far if I am writing poetry and it is just pouring out of me, I have to take my computer into the bathroom, either that or you know the results. I can't see taking a painting into the bathroom or taking time to change underwear. When I have inspiration it may just be fleeing and if I don't grab that moment, it is lost forever. ;)
 
Remy said:
I don't have any artistic talent. I do crappy crafting but it gives me something to do.

I'm just satisfied that I stopped hating everything I made and accept what I can do.
Click to expand...
It is my best friend.
It teaches me about life. It winds through my thoughts and unravels my trials and tribulations, triumphs and tragedies. My constant. When I found the felting of crocheted wool my art bloomed and knew I was home.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top