Meditation on Painting, Part 1

You write beautifully. You have some insights in this piece that are very helpful to me as I struggle to figure out if painting is still something that I want to do. Look forward to your book.

John, I love your work and I feel blessed that I can count you among my artist friends. Painting is very hard work and you make it seem effortless. Hugs!

I will buy a copy of your book when it is available. I'm not sure about my own obsession to paint. But I have been obsessed with it since I was very young. Before I was ever aware of the -five and dime” watercolors in tin boxes I coveted crayons. I constantly created collages from old catalogues discarded from relatives on pieces of cardboard boxes. My first experience in painting was in 7th grade art class in the Van Buren, Arkansas school system. Pete Howard was the teacher. I had found my dream. I am drawn in to myself when I read your thoughts. The words -natural attraction” in your second sentence zooms in on my motivation to paint. I am attracted to the placement of shapes and colors, movement and emotion that can evolve from a two dimensional image. Painting truly is a visual language and it has no boundaries. I can neither read nor speak a word of Russian but I have no problem interpreting a Russian impressionistic painting. The messages are limitless in painting. My intimacy with God is the only thing that surpasses the depth of emotion I have felt in painting. For me painting is a spiritual experience. I feel compelled to paint. However this has not been limited to my own personal painting. I have literally been rendered speechless even breathless by many paintings ( not my own) . Sons long for their fathers approval. I continue to paint and want most of all to excel in painting to gain His approval. -On earth as it is in Heaven”

Always good to read your thoughts. I had things to say, but realized that I've written about it already on my site. So, I'll just add that knowing my purpose for painting has been the key to perseverance and growth -

not talent (I'm average),
not knowledge (I'm not well-read),
not material surplus

Purpose has been the light that revealed the path. Staying on that path means pushing past branches, stepping through streams, and sometimes waiting, but the end will be so much better than a good painting.

As we struggle to grow, seek recognition and support our families with our artistic pursuits, we should never forget our great good fortune. Creative people have been blessed by their creator with the need produce great works. Greatness, however, is at best a relative term defined by the creative's audience.

Some receive greater gifts than others, but all are driven by the same need. Musicians, painters, carpenters, poets, sculptors, lawyers, bakers, scientists, accountants, teachers: all of these and more are creatives that bring vital energy to society.

Even those in the most mundane of professions, have on occasion, given us a glimpse of their creative genius. It's helpful to value everyone as equal creatives, that we who consider ourselves artists, can learn from. Listen to everyone who comments on your work. Consider their point of view. By all means, study the Masters, and learn from your contemporaries. Equally, give regard to those you might wrongly consider non-creatives. Their viewpoint may spur your greatest growth. It may also be the most painful, and possibly the most honest.

Why paint

To solve a puzzle, a challenge. How do I do this?

This is horrible. I'll just set it aside till later or never touch it again.

Wait, How do I fix it?

That's better. I can make it into something now.

Answers

Satisfaction, pleasure

Thanks for the thoughtful comments Brenda, Becky and Andre! I learn from all of your perspectives.