Art making forces artists to face him/herself. Artists show the way how they see the life and the world through their works. It is not easy task not only in technically, but mentally.
I think it is impossible that whole process until a painting is finished is full of joy. Same as in life, some ( I will say, most, in my case ) part of creating process is continuity of challenging, regretting, or depressing.
Nevertheless, in front of work in process, artist have to find the way to get through, make it work.
Nothing in art making process can be done automatically; Artist are required to think, choose and execute. I think it is the best as much as worst part of art making.
In Japanese, there is a quote to be successful, "Un, Don, Kon".
Un means luck, Don means obtuseness, and Kon means persistence. No one will disagree that luck and persistence are requisite factors for success, but how about obtuseness?
Here Don can be interpreted as a character to be foolishly honest and to devote oneself to one's responsibility and it also suggests that such nature can not be acquired by those who are too smart or too sensitive as always care about the situation around them.
Do you think that you are Don ?
Me? I am trying to be more Don and Kon, hoping to get more Un!
Yes, same for me. I often feel fear as I work. At the beginning I'm afraid that I won't be able to attain the vision in my mind, later I'm afraid that I'll make a mistake and ruin what I've already done, and even when I'm finished I worry that it isn't really any good. But there are also moments of happiness, excitement, pleasure and joy during the process. It's never boring!
ReplyDeleteThank you for talking about Un, Don and Kon. I had never heard of that saying before.
Annie,
ReplyDeleteToday I was scraping the paints from an old canvas. It is good that I have something to do without thinking at all!