And the hardest game to play
My journey as an artist has been a meandering, winding, and unique path. I started, like most kids, with a box of crayons. Literally my favorite smell in the world was the scent from a freshly opened crayon box. As I grew older, my parents encouraged my artistic skill, and I continued to develop and nurture them. In my twenties, I discovered colored pencils and enjoyed the way I could control the strokes and fill in all the spaces I created. Other mediums scared me. Too loose, too complicated, too messy.
As I've gotten older, I've learned to expose myself to new techniques and tools. I'm finding my favorites to be watercolor, gouache, collage and digital art. It's a long list, I know. I read that it's good to have focus and to refine your skills in an area so they are finely developed. I like the way that sounds. But to be honest, it's too limiting for me. I like that, when the mood hits me, I can pick up my ipad, my paper or paintbrush and start creating. Sometimes, just to mix it up, I combine methods and techniques and see where things lead.
I think that's the ticket. To allow yourself the freedom to create what you feel compelled to create. To follow your inner muse and let your imagination rule the road. Focus might be the name of the game for most things but I think for artists, focus can limit and suffocate our imaginations. Thoughts?