With the holidays around the corner, how can artists maintain their artmaking momentum, while at the same time traveling and spending time with family? Here are some of my go-to art-on-the-go tips!: 1. Doodle. Zentangles can be a fun and relaxing way to keep those creative muscles active, while still allowing yourself a vacation from your usual work routine. Doodling is also a great on-the-go activity for those long plane or car rides! 2. Hunt for Inspiration! Inspiration abounds EVERYWHERE! Stay attuned to the art and events around you--maybe you'll come across an idea for your newest work! 3. Drawing Games If you are part of a game-playing family (as I am), you might play games that include an art-making component (such as Cranium, Pictionary, Scrutineyes). 4. Thinking Putty I recently came across "Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty," which is a great way to keep your hands and creative mind busy while traveling! 5. Read a good book. Whether or not they are about art, books can provide great inspiration for new people, places, or things to create art about!
6. Paint on-the-go! Sakura makes a fantastic travel-size watercolor set with a self-watering paintbrush. I love using mine as a way to continue my painting practice while on vacation!
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"Good artists copy, great artists steal." Pablo Picasso Is copying really okay in the art world? How about stealing? What does it mean for an artist to "steal?" Copying is a huge part of our training as artists--it is a vehicle through which we learn the techniques that we will later use to create our own works of art. Copying can even be considered a compliment; it means that you think something is worthy of being repeated, or learned. Stealing, on the other hand, is a much more powerful word---associated with taking something that is not yours without permission or intention to return. So, do great artists STEAL? Is this what Pablo Picasso was saying? While I'm sure some artists do STEAL ideas or actually pieces of artwork, and claim them as their own, I would argue that truly great artists BUILD. In my opinion, the creation of art is the beginning of a conversation. Once the artist is finished with the piece, he/she is leaving the conversation for the time being. They may continue the conversation with a series of works, or they may leave that idea entirely, in pursuit of another subject. When another artist happens upon that piece of work, if they are inspired by the ideas of that artist, they will continue the conversation--perhaps exploring a similar subject or technique, or maybe responding to something they experienced in that work of art. Great artists BUILD on ideas. They see other works of art as endless opportunities for their own growth as an artist. Last weekend I visited the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, where they had a special folk art exhibit. As I was walking through the exhibit, I became mesmerized by one particular piece: I was immediately drawn to the frame of this piece. I loved those orange houses. I loved the texture of the gravel and the train tracks. I loved the angle of the moving train. When I returned home, I had those orange houses stuck in my head. So, I decided to BUILD on my encounter with this painting. I began by creating my own orange house frame. Rather than try to look up the real image, I decided to paint from my memory of the piece, adding my own style to the mix. Although I'm not sure where this painting is going to take me, I am excited about my piece in this conversation. Experiencing other works of art is so vital to my creative process; It is through making art that I can reflect on my experiences and observations. Becoming involved in a conversation with a work of art is not solely for artists. Anyone who views a painting is beginning a conversation. Now, as is the case with any type of interaction, you have the choice to engage in conversation, based on your interests and discretion. There may be some works of art that you have no interest in beginning a conversation with. However, when you find a work of art that you are naturally drawn to, you might spend some time looking at the composition, discussing the piece with a friend, or just letting your imagination run wild for awhile. All of this is BUILDING on the conversation started by the artist. Wishing you all lots of delightfully engaging art conversations over the upcoming holidays! Cheers, When I graduated from high school, my parents gave me a very special present--my first solo-flight to California, where I spent a week or so with my aunt and uncle. Not only was it my first solo trip, but it was my first time flying. During that trip, I spent a lot of time watching Bob Ross painting videos with my aunt, and I painted my first landscape using his techniques. It was pure magic! Bob Ross made painting look so effortless! Who knew you could create majestic mountains with a few strokes of a palette knife? As I started my first semester of college, I signed up for Painting I--thrilled to use those Bob Ross techniques in my own artwork! ....And then my professor began talking. The first words out of her mouth were, "I'm sure many of you have had previous experiences with painting. So, I'd like to start this class by warning you: If I see anyone painting in the style of Bob Ross, I WILL fail you." I remember leaving that first day in shock. What was so wrong with Bob Ross? He was a magician of painting! Later in the semester, this professor cautioned us to never EVER become like Thomas Kinkade--a sell-out. Her justification? He had his paintings EVERYWHERE--calendars, greeting cards, hand towels, t-shirts, etc. He painted what he knew would sell. And he has sold A LOT. In my professor's eyes, Kinkade was NOT an FINE artist; Kinkade was a COMMERCIAL artist...A mass-marketing sell-out. Now, since I was, at the time, a first-semester freshman, I left that painting class feeling like Bob Ross and Thomas Kinkade were total sell-outs. They weren't true artists--painting whatever they wanted to without worrying about whether or not people would LIKE it. I would NEVER be like that. I was going to paint things that I wanted to paint--things that would shock people and change the world. Now, years later, I have had some time to really think about that painting class, and I regret having walked away with that mindset. I know that my point of view would not agree with those of others in the art world, and I'm okay with that. In my opinion, Bob Ross was INCREDIBLE. He inspired and educated so many people to create! Sure, they were copying his painting style, but you know what? They were EXCITED about it. He made art seem effortless. He was a joy to watch. He brought art making to the masses in a friendly way. We NEED more people like Bob Ross, because he was able to share his art with thousands of people in a friendly, non-assuming way. In the art world, the more copies of your work that are out there, the less valuable they are perceived. So, it makes sense to me that many people in the art world would consider Thomas Kinkade to be a sell-out, because he mass-marketed his work. He had copies of his paintings on EVERYTHING. In fact, a quick google search comes up with the following Wikipedia description of Kincade: "He is notable for the mass marketing of his work as printed reproductions and other licensed products via The Thomas Kinkade Company." So, really, mass marketing was closely linked with his work--he was famous for it. And, in my opinion, that is the genius of Thomas Kinkade. His work is recognizable by people who would never come close to considering themselves art connoisseurs. Through mass marketing, he was able to share his art with more people than most "fine" artists could ever achieve. Amazing. Now, I'm not saying that television/youtube painting channels, and/or mass marketing is the appropriate path for every artist. However, in my opinion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with sharing your work with as many people as you can--whether your purpose is to shock or awe. Over the years, I have discovered that, while I do not want my art to shock/disgust anyone, I do believe that my art can facilitate change. It is my hope that my art will bring joy to those in need of joy, and inspiration to those seeking inspiration. In that small way, my work brings about a change, and THAT is the power of art. Cheers, Since we are in the midst of the holiday gift-buying frenzy, I thought I'd make a case for art as the perfect gift to give to that special someone, or someones this holiday season! Here are 10 reasons to give the gift of art:
Cheers, Have you ever had something that you really wanted to do, but couldn't find the motivation to actually do it? Have you ever felt like you should be doing something else--something that you just know you would be AMAZING at doing...if you could find the time to do it? Have you ever had something that you just had the urge to try, but couldn't find the motivation? So what's really keeping you from taking the plunge/following your dreams? There are a lot of excuses out there, but it all boils down to one thing: FEAR. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. Fear of missing family time. Fear of not having enough time. There are hundreds of excuses NOT to do something, but the truth of the matter is that if you have a dream/inspiration to do something, the only way that it is going to happen is to boldly take the first step forward. If something is important to you, you will find time to do it--be it 1 hour a day or 1 hour a week, finding time to set aside for yourself and your dreams is important. And the best part is that once you are in the habit of incorporating something new into your schedule, it won't feel like an imposition anymore. It will instead be something that you look forward to--knowing that you are taking steps towards achieving your goals. For over 20 years I have wanted to be a working, professional artist. When I was going to art school I had the motivation to make art, knowing that I had to paint a certain number of pieces in order to pass a class. However, once I graduated, I was frozen with fear. Once that motivation was gone, the excuses came pouring in. I suddenly was balancing 3 part-time jobs, trying to maintain relationships with family and friends, and trying to make time to exercise. When I went off to graduate school, I found that my schedule of classes and thesis-writing remained "too busy" for studio art time. The truth is I could've made time to create, I just didn't know where to begin. By the time I moved from Austin, Texas to Wyoming, I had decided enough was enough. I wanted to be an artist. Once I made that decision, I had to figure out what that meant to me. As a first BIG step, I knew that to be an artist, I had to be MAKING ART. So, I began to search for inspiration. Since my style of artwork from my college days left me creatively blocked, I knew I needed to try something new. Inspiration struck as I was browsing the internet for lesson ideas--leading to the creation of my first painting in over 5 years. After painting my first piece, I knew I needed to find a motivator to help me create regularly. So, I set my first goal: To show my work in a local gallery. I knew that in order to approach a gallery, I needed to have a body of work. So, I decided to make at least 10 paintings before approaching a gallery. To make that happen, I knew I needed to set aside time (which seemed difficult with a full-time teaching position, family time, etc.) So, I decided to take a look at my daily schedule--actually taking note of the way I spent my time away from work. I found that I frequently had a little bit of down time in the evenings which I would spend watching t.v. or surfing online. Why not spend that time making art as well? With that in mind, I made it a goal to do something every day to further my art dream. It didn't matter the amount of time spent; It didn't matter if it was painting time or research time. It worked. Within 6 months, I had a portfolio of 12 pieces, which were accepted to be displayed at Works of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming. Since then, I have continued to create new motivators for myself, as a way to keep my art-making a consistent and important part of my daily, weekly, and monthly schedule. Having a motivator in place is very important. Whether it be a big motivator or something small, having a goal makes your efforts feel worthwhile. Do you have a dream or something that you've been itching to try? I encourage you to start moving forward with it! Look at your schedule? Could your dream fit in with part of your down time? Carve out some time--be it 5 minutes a day or 5 hours a week, to make that dream a reality. It's worth it! Cheers, In last week's post, I discussed art appreciation, and the importance of knowing WHY an artist does the things that they do. Is there a reason for the colors/materials they use? The surface they paint/draw on? The things that they put into their compositions? My current style of artwork is not the style that I started with. I started out studying animals and drawing/painting as realistically as I could. When I went to study art in college, I shifted to painting things like this: After graduating, I hit a wall. This happens all the time to artists who get cornered by their "style" of artwork. My style was surrealistic--frequently including hands. When I graduated, there was a time when I was completely frozen in fear of creating something new. I tried numerous times, but literally couldn't figure out where to begin. If someone asked me, "Are you an artist?" I would guiltily fumble around with my answer because I knew that to be an artist, I had to actually be producing art! In 2012 something amazing happened. I was surfing the web for new ideas for my elementary art lessons when I came across a do-it-yourself stencil project of a bird on a branch with a collage of magazine pages in the background. This project inspired me to try mixed media collage, and led to my first painting in my current style of art: Since this first piece, I began creating a piece every week or two--a habit which I continue to this day!
So... What is my "WHY?" I LOVE stories--particularly fiction/fantasy/fairytales because while they are not real events, many of the characters and situations resonate with real life truths and situations. The tradition of oral-storytelling particularly interests me--passing down history, events, and human truths through fictional characters and events; The act of story-telling IS a form of raw human creation. I enjoy folk art for that same reason--the raw/unrefined creations have a human touch that many fine art pieces are lacking. My paintings capture fleeting moments of a story--just a snapshot. My work is not meant to tell a complete story, it is meant to encourage storytelling! It is my hope that viewers will be inspired to tell their own stories and find a connection with the story that a specific painting is telling. I frequently use text from old book pages in my work, as a connection to the written word. In addition to the storytelling aspect, it is my hope that my characters and colorful compositions bring JOY to those who are in need of a reminder of the beautiful and happy things in life. May this weekend bring you inspiration and joy! Cheers, I remember the very first time I talked to a group about the topic of art appreciation, I was 14 years old. Being introverted, I decided that in order to break through my shell of insecurities and give a successful speech, I would need to talk about something that I was excited about. After flipping through one of my art museum books, I found this piece: What makes something "art?" How can EVERYONE appreciate ALL styles of art? What IS appreciation? The dictionary defines appreciation as "the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something." Now, you might be thinking to yourself, "how can I appreciate something that looks like a blank piece of white paper?" "It doesn't even look like the artist did any work!" "Anyone could make this!" My response to these thoughts would be summed up in one word: context. In order to be able to recognize and enjoy the good qualities of a piece of art work, you must first understand the context in which it was created. Having an appreciation for a work of art doesn't mean you have to LIKE the work; it doesn't mean you want to pay thousands of dollars to OWN the work. Art appreciation is simply an understanding of where the artist is coming from when he/she created the work. In other words his/her "WHY" and "HOW." Now, let's talk about how I can appreciate the painting that I showed above. Obviously this style of artwork is quite different from my own style, so in order to gain an appreciation for this style of work, I needed to find out more about the context--the WHY and HOW. So, I started by learning more about the artist, Robert Ryman. It turns out, although most people would classify his work as minimalist (myself included), Ryman prefers to be known as a REALIST, in that he works to present the materials that he uses at their face value. For a 2010 exhibit, he wrote: "I am not a picture painter. I work with real light and space, and since real light is an important aspect of the paintings, it always presents some problems." Knowing those two things: 1.)Working with a wide variety of MATERIALS and 2.) Working with REAL LIGHT and SPACE inform his work, provides a whole new level of understanding and appreciation for Ryman's work. He has experimented with a very impressive number of different materials in order to better understand how to paint with them. Although his finished pieces look relatively simple, his process that goes into each piece is incredible. For the piece above, titled, "Duration," he used lauscaux acrylic paint, which have the same texture as fine oil paints. They are also LIGHT-FAST and highly resistant to aging (which is no surprise, based on the things we've learned about his WHY). This piece also explores the colors of different lights, which you can see upon closer observation. The bolts that he used in the corners were designed specifically for this piece. Last but not least, Ryman uses titles purely for identification of the work--not in any reference to the specific piece. He made this piece purely in reference to the materials used. So, after learning more about the context for this specific piece, I would have more of an appreciation for his work in an exhibition space such as the one pictured below, realizing that HOW he made the piece was just as important as WHY he made it. So, while you might not LOVE every work of art that you come across, I would encourage you to explore those artists and the context behind their work in order to develop an appreciation, or a better understanding of why they make what they make. You might surprise yourself in the process! Making art is a journey. Although most of my paintings begin with an initial concept, they rarely, if ever turn out as initially planned. Creativity is an adventure; It takes dedication, and a willingness to go with the flow, following the twists and turns wherever they may take you. Recently, as I was brainstorming new lesson ideas for my elementary art students, I came across the following project idea: While this project is a compilation of a kindergarten class' halloween cat projects, it reminded me of cats looking through a window. With this concept in mind, I launched into a new painting, beginning with nine yellow boxes on my canvas. After finishing the boxes, I could go no further...for two days. I began to experience the uncertainty and fear that I was making a mistake. Perhaps this was not a good idea for a painting after all. I was at a crossroads: Should I paint over the boxes and start over, or should I continue on the current path to see where it might lead? This often happens during the process of creativity; There are moments in which you, as the creator, must make a decision that will effect the outcome of your creation. After two days at the crossroads, I finally committed to seeing this painting through to its end. After all, I could always paint over the canvas later in the process. After I made this decision to continue on the journey, the ideas seemed to flow freely, and the painting was complete within a few days. So, next time you are facing a difficult decision: whether to throw in the towel or stick to your guns and see a project to its finish, be brave; See your journey to its end. Although it can be scary, finishing what you start can be more rewarding than the product itself.
Happy creating! In 2007 I graduated with my bachelor's degree in both studio art (emphasis painting) and CLASSICAL GUITAR PERFORMANCE. That's right. I was a musician--emphasis on was. Music, just like art, has an incredible, magical way of transporting you to new worlds--slowing time to allow you to soar to new heights. When I started learning to play classical guitar in high school, I knew I had found a new outlet for my imagination. Every time I would pick up the guitar to play, I would close my eyes and FEEL the music. Time stood still as I would drift off into a new world of delightful sounds and beautiful stillness.
Music, just like art, can be an incredibly personal thing. When an artist creates, no matter the concept or media, they are putting a piece of themselves into their work. The same goes for musicians; when a musician starts to play a piece, they are putting themselves out there---allowing their audience to have a glimpse into their inner workings. As an artist, music seemed to be a natural pairing--another outlet for me to create and explore...that is, until I decided to major in it. Although this is most certainly not the case for everyone, studying classical guitar in college killed the magic of the instrument for me. Instead of closing my eyes to get lost in the music, I found myself staring at a clock--trying to get in my 4-6 hours of practice each day in preparation for a monstrous senior recital. The beautiful guitar strings turned into instruments of torture, as I did nerve damage to my fingers from pushing them to play pieces that were above my skill level. As soon as I graduated with my degree, I turned my back on classical guitar, and haven't been able to bring myself to play since then. I've heard similar stories from other musicians; many have said, "If you love to play an instrument, don't study it in college." Of course, there have also been many incredible musicians who have emerged from academia unscathed. Those who are truly PASSIONATE about their art will continue to grow no matter the hurdle that stands in their way--and I can honestly say that, although music school pushed me away from classical guitar, it also fueled my passion for my studio art! The piece featured in this post, titled "Forest Song," was first created as a study in hair detail, but subconsciously turned into much more. This piece encapsulates the feeling of getting lost in the beauty and magic of music. May each of you experience "getting lost" in something--be it music, art, or a good book! Happy Labor Day! A few years ago Colorado and Wyoming experienced some terrible fires, burning acres upon acres of land, leaving a new martian-esque landscape in place of what had once been dense forests. Last week I backpacked through an area that had been ablaze two years ago. Although I was shocked at the amount of devastation that had occurred, I was also amazed at the incredible LIFE that such a fire had caused. Aspen trees were in abundance, as well as bright yellow prairie smoke, bringing new color and life to the area. Not only was this new life breathtaking, but also the incredible sculptural remains from the burn: curled bark, charred black bark contrasted with the stark white revealed underneath, and graceful balancing acts--whole trees balancing on a thinly-chisled base. On my way back to the car, I noticed scattered pieces of charcoal on the ground. Inspired, I gathered a bag of the charcoal to inspire artwork of my own. Below is the first piece I created, incorporating that charcoal along with my usual bag of tricks. Inspiration can take so many different forms... may each of you find inspiration and wonder in whatever today brings your way! Cheers! :) |
AuthorWelcome to the whimsical world of Tara Pappas' mixed media art! Thank you for stopping by to view samples of my work and read a little about my adventures as an artist. I am always looking for new ways to connect and grow as an artist, so would love to hear from you if you have any questions or interests in a particular piece. I hope that my work brings you inspiration and joy! Archives
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