Tag Archives: Artist’s Block

Style

By Natalie Roberts | Published October 18, 2008

As a visual artist, I have often been asked to define my style, and nine times out of ten, I fail miserable at being able to defining my style in words.  Yet, if you look at my portfolio, my style is very evident.  From the bold colors to the crisp blacks lines, there is a common thread that connects my works of art that have been created over the years. 

Part of the hesitation to define my style comes from knowing that labels stifle creativity.  Yet, there is a balancing act that takes place in knowing yourself as an artist and giving yourself the creative freedom to explore.  As Julia Cameron states in Walking in this World:

“Art” is less about what we could be and more about what we are than we normally acknowledge.  When we are fixated on getting better, we miss what it is we already are–and this is dangerous because we–as we are–are the origin of our art.  “We” are what makes our art original.  If we are always striving to be something more and something different, we dilute the of what it is we actually are.  [In] doing that, we dilute our art.

This danger of striving to be something more, something different is exactly what I’ve been struggling with this past year.  Part of me questioned if it was time to move onto a different subject matter…something besides the series of senuous female portraits I have been exploring in recent years.  Then another part of me felt compelled to tackle larger scale paintings.  It finally reached the point where I took a break from creating any new paintings. 

Yet even during this creative break, I find myself embracing creativity from designing my own jewelry to painting glass candle holders for our bedroom.  And it’s been during this creative break that I’m rediscovering my style.

Several new ideas for paintings fill my head, but I’m taking one step at a time.  As Julia recommends:

Just as in romance, too serious, too fast, and the fun fizzles out.  We need to flirt with an interest, approach it with a sidelong glance … We must learn to explore, not repress, our intuition.  Intuition is key to creative unfolding.

So I’m getting back to basics, from going on meditative walks to taking artist’s dates.  Every day brings a new adventure, and in time, maybe I’ll finally discover the Holy Grail of paintings.  Until then, I embrace the little sparks of divine inspiration that each day brings.

Post inspired by this week’s theme at Sunday Scribblings

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Trusting in your intuition

By Natalie Roberts | Published July 26, 2007

During high school my art teacher awarded me as the outstanding senior painter of the year. That essentially sums up the extent of my formal education in the arts. I attended college, even graduated with honors. But I never took another art class. To some in the art community, I’ve been looked down upon for npeacock featherever having formally studied art.  But I firmly believe that you can learn anything if you put your heart, mind, and soul into it. So that’s what I did… I practiced self-study in the field of painting. I looked towards the masters to see what lessons they could pass on to me while still exploring my own theories in art.

My best friend during college thought it was probably a good thing, and this is coming from someone formally trained in the arts as a graphic designer. Her rationale was that the professors probably would have done more harm than good, and in some ways, she was probably right.

Besides having one of the worst inner critics, I’ve never been one to create on demand very well. If you tell me to paint pretty landscapes, I’ll paint nudes. If you tell me to paint a nude, I’ll paint birds.

My brain naturally resists the slightest notion of creating on demand. However, I have successfully created commission pieces if I felt passionate about the piece.

As Julia Cameron states:

So much of art hinges on our ability to trust intuition, to follow our hunch about what “might” or “could” come next.

It’s good to make art part of your everyday life. But you have to be careful to not get too serious. To remember to laugh and remind yourself that it’s okay to fail, to have a bad day at the easel. To type 10,000 words of absolute garbage. It’s needed to let the muse have a chance to sing. She sometimes whispers, screams, or doesn’t speak at all. The point is to continue listening for when inspiration might speak. To continue being creative, even if it isn’t your masterpiece.

I find myself needing to consider this idea often right now as I work on an upcoming exhibit that is focused completely on my exploration of female portraits and nudes. It’s been an avenue of artwork that I’ve been passionately creating for years, but exactly when I receive requests to create more pieces in this style- larger pieces, full of expression- I freeze up. And I start thinking about painting peacocks or trombones or coffee cups.

Well, I might create a peacock painting eventually, but this weekend is going to be completely focused on painting pieces for the upcoming exhibit. We are going to make it the perfect weekend.

Brian has promised to keep me fed, watered, and well cared for as I delve into my studio.

More to come this weekend as I share my adventures so stay tuned…

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