Step in to Fun
8 x 10 Oil on Canvas
At the Art City Austin, this last weekend, I got to talking to a fellow artist who was one of the participants of the event. Imagine that, an artist striking up a conversation with another artist. Anyway his name is Geoffrey Aaron Harris. His art is very fun and playful. As I was sharing that thought with him, he offered something up which I thought was very interesting and inspiring. He had not always done these fun imagines. But, at one moment in time he asked himself what would I like to put on my walls, what would I like to paint vs. what would people want to buy. Which is another way of saying he started following his heart. He said once he started doing this he started selling more art than ever before. Isn't that neat?
I went home and tore the landscape off my easel, put a new canvas up and did another of my shoe paintings. I can't explain it, but they are just so fun to paint.
So my question to you is: Are you creating art that you would like to have in your home and is it fun for you to create? Would love to hear your story.
Amy, your shoe paintings are wonderful and so original! I agree, stick with what you love!
ReplyDeleteAmy, just had to say more! your shoe portraits are gorgeous, and unique! There are plenty of wonderful landscape painters out there, at the same time, we don't have a chance to see too many shoe-scapes! Celebrate your uniqueness, and be authentic, as Marisa Headike would recomend!
ReplyDeleteAmy, thanks for adding the rss- feed. I have subscribed to the blogs of everyone in the triage class, and I subscribed to yours by e-mail, but I don't think I'm getting it, for whatever reason. Now your updates are coming to me by feed. Yay!
ReplyDeleteAs for the question of making what we love vs. making what will sell: I think there is a complete overlap between what YOU love (shoes) and what will sell. Your latest blue shoes are extremely appealing and seem to tell a story. Shoes are so personal because they mold themselves to the individual.
I have found that people commission me to make things that I don't love to do, but CAN do and enjoy well enough. This tells me something, but I don't know what. Lots of people exclaim over and appreciate the art that comes from my heart, but it isn't selling. Go figure!
I think your shoes are unique, and if you find that you are "the shoe painter", then hooray for you!