I need to say something about my art. Although I have always liked enhancing and decorating, I only started creating art during the pandemic. It is hard to get started learning a new skill, especially on your own. I picked a flower from my garden and made a picture with colored pencils. Then I tried using some old acrylics and inks left over from my son's college art class. I bought some cheap brushes and watercolors and experimented. I didn't know what I was doing, but bit by bit I learned some basic skills and filled a bulletin board with sketches.
When I moved to Africa, I found a whole knew range of flora to study and paint. My art just didn't look as good as the real thing and I decided I needed some advice on what art supplies to buy and help with some watercolor techniques. Most of my progress came from trial and error, rather than taking art classes. The real motivation for me was when the finished painting gave me the same joy as its botanical inspiration. We all enjoy finding that perfect rose in a garden; then we bring roses in to enjoy their beauty for longer. The way I see it, if I can capture the beauty in a painting, then I am preserving it for endless enjoyment.
A friend suggested I make some cards and that led me to transfer my art to the iPad. Digitally I could reproduce my ideas and create professionally looking cards and calendars. My husband pointed out that AI could do the same thing, but I persevered with my Apple Pencil as a way of putting what I had learned into practice.
Only recently have I started watching videos of artists showing their work on social media. There is one lady I like in particular: she is quirky and keeps it quick and simple. She splatters paint and uses bold brush strokes, jokes about her mistakes and produces adorable holiday cards and postcards. More than anything she communicates to her viewer that anybody can easily do the same. Of course I would need some more materials and luckily this woman sells all sorts of craft and art supplies. As I was putting some masking tape, note cards and colored pencils in my online basket I realized that I was hooked on watching carefully prepared how-to art videos that were essentially ads. It is easier to buy art materials than it is to produce satisfying art.
In one of these online videos, my quirky artist displayed her studio/workshop. I noticed the wall full of less than perfect sketches and unfinished ideas. This made me feel better about my process. When I decide to paint a new botanical, I spend days sketching and researching, making small trials and displaying them for critique. I try different backgrounds and concentrate on small details until it starts to look real. I suspect that my online teacher did the same, trying out her ideas several different ways before deciding on the best and quickest way to get views and sell products. Although the videos make it look like she has just dreamed up a cute idea on the spot, joked about being unprepared and encouraged everyone to go with the creative flow... that is probably far from the reality. I have tried to create some of her ideas but my hastily drawn bunnies and mushrooms didn't look nearly as cute. Maybe I just need to buy her materials..?
I thought of joining a crafting group who meet weekly to craft, which I am not sure includes what I do. I haven't brought myself to show up, because I keep imagining myself setting up my paints and being too scared to start on a fresh piece of white paper. With people watching me, I am sure I will mess up and people with judge my art. They will wonder how I produced my polished pieces that were posted on my media account. Truth is, I don't think I can sit down for a couple of hours in a social setting and produce something beautiful. But if you can't beat them, join them: buy the colored pencils and the felt tip pens, start filling in a small notebook with easy doodles. That is what I will try, in order to be social and spend time with other creative people. I can't imagine the great masters met and shared tips with their peers at the Royal Academy, but then I am not a great master.
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