The Artistic Process Part 1:
The Right Medium
I’m compelled to write about the process of art creation. Not because I’m bragging about my talent, but just the opposite. I find creating art is a very humbling experience whereas I spend most of the process self-doubting all my abilities and criticizing myself unmercifully! I am going take us both on a journey into Terra Incognita.
Once a self-proclaimed art enthusiast asked me “What medium do you work in?” On the surface this question seemed like innocent inquiry into learning more about me as an artist, but the tone implied a passive aggressive attack. I could tell she really wanted to show me how important she was, how knowledgeable she was, and how I was neither… Whacking me with a snarky stick was her way of knocking me down while elevating herself… Occasionally, I come across this personality type, and when I do, it amplifies the self-doubting critic in myself. Excuse me for this aside; but when the subject of art medium comes up, I cringe a bit inside.
Aside from all that, the art medium is essential to the creation process because it is the substance that allows something conceptional to give rise to something tangible and real. For the project at hand, the medium I have chosen is wood, specifically milled red maple. Sometimes, the grain or shape of the wood inspires me to create an image. Sometimes, I have an image in my mind that I must add to a special piece of wood, which is the goal of this project. As a result, I must rummage through my wood supply hoping to find the one piece that will make my idea a reality. Yes, I need to find the piece of wood that feels right… (Insert juvenile quip here: _______________________________).
Lately, I have been wanting to get away from the social noise of humans. I’ve been getting overly annoyed and distracted by media, advertising, flashing images, loud sounds, anger, and overall “human” activity. For this reason, I have been escaping into the woods. That is where I heard the distinct sound of crows. Their unmistakable calls have been the first sign of life when I go into the woods. I enjoy their loud voices because it is the voice of nature! I haven’t determined if the crows are welcoming me or yelling at me…Either way I feel compelled to create one. I chose this particular piece of wood because of the blue streaks…I want the crow to emerge from the wood but still be trapped by the strange blue grain. The blue grain is very weird! It doesn’t seem to fit with “normal” color of the wood … It is a dichotomy I can relate to.
LOVE!!!