The student v the artist

My blog of a week ago, posted June 11, titled A Powerful Tool gendered a couple of very good comment responses. This week I have been giving these some thought, and would now like to offer the following:

When one is a student in a specific line of study with an eventual outcome of achieving a qualification, one has to work within the parameters of the established course of study. The tutor is also bound by this!

The basis of any course is to learn, to learn how to accomplish new skills and ideas. Any hands-on, practical learning, will involve lots of experimenting and samples. Achieving major assignments can become a daunting task, not so much because you haven't yet mastered all the skills, but mostly I suspect because the theme/topic given is not your own choice, and you have to get your head around what you must try to achieve. This skill is very important if you plan to go on to employment, or work on commissions, where the client's requirements are paramount.

However, if you are an artist, you are expected to find your own visual voice, and the approach is quite different. The way you have worked during studies needs to be abandoned. You should have enough skills to get on with 'it'. Experimenting and sampling is still valid, but not to the same extent as when being a student. In fact, I suspect that too much sampling is a hindrance, meaning that an outcome when sampling may be successful, but then incredibly hard to achieve again. This can result in unease and disapointment. Sometimes it is best just to go with it, do it, and live with the result. Start again if necessary.

I hope this helps.

Yes, I have started on my next piece. I have drawn some gestural lines in black pigment/paint. While the paint is still wet I have spritz parts with clear water which softens the lines and adds some interest.



A house.....