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The following is a post that has become my most read blog. Before this, "How is it decided what is good abstract art" was my most read piece. However, this one has surpassed it. I guess defining yourself as an artist is a thought that many creative people wonder about.

 

The reason for writing it was that I had started a series of fishermen paintings. I don't paint many paintings where people are the subject, but I wanted to get out of my comfort zone to learn more. Recently, two fine photographers have graciously shared their work for me to use as reference and inspiration.  I have never used other's photos for reference before, so here again, I am trying something new.

 

Please share what is new in your art world. Perhaps we can learn from each other.

 

  

"Recently, I started a series of fisherman paintings. "What's that all about?", you may ask. "Aren't you a wildlife artist?" Yes, I am, yet some people think of me as "that trompe l'oeil painter".  There are also people who know me as a still-life food painter.  Others know me for my landscapes, or farm animals, or florals. All of them are correct in their thinking of me as an artist. Did you know that I also paint abstract and stylistic paintings on occasion? So why, then, am I painting fishermen? Because I need to push myself out of my comfort zone to get to be a better artist.

 

I consider myself an artist, without the label of a specific genre.  I have come a long way to think of myself that way. Several artists have told me that I should do only one style and get known for that style, so that my work is instantly recognizable. But I am an eclectic person, with diverse interests, so my paintings reflect that. And I think that my paintings are better for it.

 

I started out as a scientist, who loved design since she was little. When I stayed home with my three boys, I happened to see a TV show where a man created a painting in a half of an hour. Since we didn't have much money, I thought that if I could create something to put up on my walls, I would be happy.

 

But the paradigm shifted, however, and I began to pursue being the best that I could be in art. I didn't really think much about marketing, especially after an art gallery owner dishonestly represented my work. I kept striving to be better at painting. I put my work out there by entering international and national juried art exhibitions. Some paintings were accepted, others weren't.

 

For part of my life, I stumbled into teaching high school sciences, which is a long story. However, while teaching, I always told my students to get out of their comfort zone. I put a sign up on my wall that said, "If you are not failing at something, you are not getting out of your comfort zone!" I wanted them to try various undertakings without the guarantee of success. Only then, can someone really have growth in their development. By trying something outside of your comfort zone, you may discover a whole new world that excites you beyond what you imagined. Or, you might find out that what you thought might be a good fit, isn't. But that is not a problem, only an enlightenment. You learn from trial and error, you don't let it overwhelm you.

 

I enjoy creating these new paintings about fishermen. Years ago, we fished on my in-law’s glacial lake on their farm. One of our children became a die-hard lover of fishing from the experiences of those excursions. I never was very good a casting my line, but I really enjoyed relaxing while we tried our hand at fishing. When I photographed fishermen out West and on the Black River that borders a half of a mile of our land, I admired their skill that they have developed. I took many pictures, and all showed the concentration on their part of perfecting their craft. How is that different from what I am doing with painting? It isn't.

 

Are you pushing the boundaries of the subject matter of what you normally paint? Are you trying a new medium? How about a new support? Has a new way of applying paint or pastel entered your repertoire? Or are you afraid of trying something new?

 

I firmly believe that artists need to push their boundaries. How else can you know how far you can go?"

 

Many thanks to Mitchell Fischer for sharing his photos. I was inspired to create this painting from one of his pictures.

 

 

  

 

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