A Note to My Art Students

Artists_Palette

Wrote a rather bold email to the members in my art class. Last week was tough. People were quitting. I'm sure if it was a different place, they'd be swearing at me. For veteran artists, we've all been there. Feeding into all those negative voices, doubts, and fears can eat you up if you let it. This was a bit of what I wrote them today:

Many of you ended up with dark and muddy colors on your paper. You mixed a lot of stuff and it wasn't all pretty. But those dark greys, scary greens, and endless blues are necessary. It helps those other colors shine that much brighter on canvas and that's what last week's classes were about.

You may have felt like you were wasting paint. You didn't waste a thing. That frustration you felt, tap into it. Own it, and challenge yourself to feel it again.

Making art is an emotional thing. You'll discover more about yourself painting than probably most moments in your life. Watching TV, surrounding ourselves with noise, or being workaholics for someone else's dream all take us away from our greater truth.

Why we're here and what we can offer the universe. That's what matters. I make art to tap into all of these things and I'm still learning myself.

If you have time today, no actually, make time today--think about things you've been feeling lately. Feeling damn good about life? Relish in it. Got some regrets, or fears? Own it. Dreaming of a brighter future? That's wonderful.

Think long and hard about where you are in this exact moment and be prepared to experiment with documenting that on the canvas tomorrow.

Really eager to see this group develop and grow into something magical. Because art is magic, right?