So here I am again and thinking what to write about, as an Artist. I thought about my recent art pieces and really all my pieces and considered this would as a good start. In other words - "How did I get here?". I left out the "Where I am going from here?" on purpose. (later post).
I am rather new to the social side of the art world and will only pull from my own experiences. Not all of you may relate but you can always file it under "something other than my own".
The title of this post changed from Frame of Mind to Frame of Mine for a reason. I almost see the two as being one. As I can not speak for anyone but myself I decided to give you - my own MindFrame.
"I compare"MindFrame" to "Where Is Your Head At?"
Art: On and On and sometimes Off
I have been doing art for more than 30 years.
In my first 20 of those 30 years I just found that art was something I was above average at and it was fun. I never thought of becoming a Picasso or Rembrandt just thought about it as a relaxing escape from a busy life. And as with most things the more you do the sooner you will get bored with it and move on to other things. Well for me that is what I did.
But as time went on I also found myself creeping back to my easel and paints every now and then. Eventually (in my late 50's) I decided that this might be worth getting into more deeply. So I set up a room and called it my man cave - studio for short. Nothing but ART. I began finding myself at Hobby Lobby more often than Home Depot. Canvas was my new form of release more than just hammer and nails. I started painting up a storm.
Life was good for me only up to a point when I found myself getting no better than when I started out on this new venture. My paintings were large portraits, in fact large everything. I was pretty good at large. But not good enough at ART.
Okay here is where I could stop and go in depth on why I did not go through a school or specialized training but I will save that for a later time. What I really want to cover is my own "MindFrame".
I compare "MindFrame" to "Where Is Your Head At?". As for me mine was definitely into art but unfortunately art was not into me. I could paint. But only up to a point. And I wanted to go past that point.
So as the saying goes, If you do not succeed, try, try again. And I did. And it didn't. For another 2 plus years. My, how time can fly!!!
So what broke me through?
What changed?
The answer to that is .....Not much!!. I knew I had barriers. I knew I could not pass it with just repeating myself. I knew I had to do something different. But what? That was the real question and it was the hardest one to answer. In fact, even today I have not answered it completely. May never.
But what I did do is set everything down.
In other words I JUST STOPPED!
I told myself to STOP and go back and take a look at everything that I accomplished in ART
.........and in LIFE.