pondering artists, art, artists, art

I think about it a lot. I think about what goes on in the minds of a lot of artists that make a lot of the art that a lot of people buy. I see u-tubes of artists going through the mechanics of making their paintings to the "amazement" of the ones who view. Many artists have their methods down - their concepts and methods all lined up and it is "so cool" to many. The mental end of it...the mechanics...the clever ideas behind it all. Somewhere in all that I imagine there is creative excitement for the artist- I hope so any way. It's just that I go about my art in a very, very different way and I am aware that my way is just not that cool right now. I get inspired by a vision or a dream or a feeling ...a muse perhaps. I do think about how I will ultimately go about making the art I am building up to making, and that is a very exciting part of the process. My recent drawings come from momentary bits of exciting ideas and dream images that felt so great, I had to say yes and who's to say that these other artists don't have the same excitement as they make grids to get it right or use laser cut stencils to create a look. I am sure these methods excite those artists. Their process is their process and I get that everyone does NOT create equally, or have to. I have another level that I get into when I make art and that is the level of getting what I want to see from the brush, hand eye or pen, a hand eye dance and forming the ultimate finish by building and seeing more and more, deeper and deeper...adding layer upon layer and relying on my eye to say when to go further and when to stop. That eye unaided by projectors and grids. That is a great part of the fun and challenge and water mark I hold for myself. I think all these thoughts I am writing about sprout from a sort of recoil from the feeling that the cleverness of art is so important these days , rather than the heart and craft behind it having that much to add to the joy. I mean ultimately, don't you see it all? Doesn't one sense the layers of heart and talent and doesn't that matter any more? It all feels like the funnier or the more angry or the more clever, the more people respond and that terrible word - technique, is a big fat no-no. My technique happens to come from a love place. I love to get all rich and deep and realistic- and I love to let it rip in looseness as well. I have seen this celebration of the idea and a dismissal of the craft and involved in art recently. There is room for it all, I think. I enjoy it all, too, but I look forward to when people can and will spend a few more moments to see what they are looking at and give themselves enough time to get past the quick fix and need for that sit com answer - void of heart and soul, produced for the quick laugh and sell, and actually relish the time and love some artists give to their art not judging it as bad because of it. Cleverness is not everything. Technique is not either. I am just going to move ahead and make my art and try not to please or understand those who would rather buy a bar of soap with pubic hair in it because someone decided it was art rather than buy a drawing or painting that goes deep into the human landscape. It's all ok. Sometimes we just want a little soap- right?