Michele Oka Doner
A little bit late to the party of Michele Oka Doner whose work I have just discovered and am intrigued by. Having first read her words, then sought her out, her art reflects this quote perfectly.
"Knowing your own song" seems a really joyous and confirming way in which to describe your own artwork and the way you go about it and how you have travelled to be here. I love the connection to nature and birds here, and feel it is ever so true to say that we may not know what we sing, or why - we probably shouldn't compare our song to others, we should simply sing our song - our own personal creative expression.
Whenever comparison comes into play I know I am in trouble.
Whatever else age and experience bring, I am forever grateful that they have brought me the understanding that my work is my work.
It is work only I can make.
And it is the only work that I can make.
.jpeg)
And if you have ever listened to a kookaburra laugh, you know that nobody else could do that; their laugh is their song, and theirs alone.
I do like that way of putting it, "knowing your own song"... it is a positive and uplifting approach to understanding our own work is what's most important to us. I can suffer from "Doomspiration", a term I first heard from Sara Genn - that feeling that comes over you when you see work by an artist that inspires you greatly whilst at the same time makes you feel as if you should pack your art supplies away because you could never make anything as beautiful as that. I have seen work by other artists that is as if they took the idea from my own head and made it better than I could ever have hoped to - and then have to let go of or it will seem as if I'm copying. I am learning the best approach is to keep my eyes on my own worktable more often than not. I enjoyed this post and that quote, thank you!
ReplyDeleteBecause we are surrounded by so much visual information, stimulus and beauty we are so much more at risk of that doomspiration thing than ever before. I think the tightrope is a balance that is hard to work out sometimes - visually stimulating and beautiful things are good for the soul; comparing your artwork to others is not so great. A quote I use in my workshops is by Teddy Roosevelt I think - "Comparison is the Thief of Joy" and boy oh boy is that true. I feel I have been trying to re-make my personal algorithm, and am not looking at much work like mine; but rather looking at lots of beautiful artwork by others that I couldn't do or could only aspire to; but which gives me solace or ideas for colour or folds, or techniques that I might be able to use in my own work. Eyes down is a good refrain!
Delete