Featured Artist Knowledge

[Marty Coleman]

Hello Everyone,
I am Marty Coleman. I have been a practicing artist all my adult life (I am 54 now). I have emphasized drawing and photography for most of that time, with an education in drawing, painting and printmaking.

I have learned many things over the years and I wanted to impart a few of them to you.

1. Love the process of creating your art just as much as the final result.

2. Be courageous enough to admit what you love as an artist.

3. Avoid thinking your work is precious.

4. Know when you are making excuses for not creating your work.

5. Understand that criticism is from one particular person with one particular point of view.

I have more to say about these 5 points. But I would like to hear from you first about your ideas on them, what they make you think about and what you would add to the list. I will post my thoughts Tomorrow morning.

I will also be posting a file later in the week titled 'The 10 Stop Signs on Creativity Road'. Look for it!

You can find out more about me and my work by going to my website, http://www.martycoleman.com

[A2a Editor]

Hello Marty,
You might want to consider reposting your worthwhile comment (be the first) on the forum board: "Artist Experiences & Advice About Exhibiting", it should receive more attention as this new forum is featured.

[Laurel Sternberg]

Hi Marty,
Could you explain what #3 means? I agree with the other four points.

[Marty Coleman]

Hi Laurel, Thanks for asking.
When one thinks of their work as precious they tend to be afraid it might be ruined. If that is the case then you are likely to not be willing to take creative chances, to try new techniques, materials and approaches. Your work becomes guided by either your ego because you think your work is just SO valuable, by your wallet because you can't afford to try something new or the work may not sell, or by your insecurity because you don't believe you will ever be able to create something as good ever again.

What do you think of my explanation so far?

[Laurel Sternberg]

Thanks for the explanation; that makes sense. I guess I've never felt that way, so I couldn't imagine what it meant.
What I find a challenge is balancing the desire for helpful crit from other artists against standing firm for my own vision. Luckily I was made with an independent personality, because my tastes are my own and very seldom follow trends. For example, in the 90's I was in Israel and took a stand for beauty when no one was doing it and it was considered kitsch. Now I happen to love detailed realism and most of the artists in my Laguna Beach mileau sniff at that. Nonetheless, I love my life and my own work.

[Raymond Gordon Potter]

1, if you do not love creating art then it shows in the end result.

2, for me it,s having a blank canvas and turning it into something I am happy with.

3 Difficult. some people take photo,s of the things they love. People,places,pets. I like to paint them, so my artwork is really  like my photo. album,

4 ıf you make excuse,s not to paint then your heart is not in it.  Imspiration never struck an idle mind.

5, crıtıcism is important to improve. It,s accepting it thats hard.

[Laurel Sternberg]

1 I certainly agree! But why do it? There are easier ways of being poor. ;-))

2 yes

3 I've often been asked, 'what if you make a mistake?!' I always answer: 'I paint over it.'

4 this is like #1. If you're not driven to create something, do something else.

5 I propose that asking for criticism is like asking for any kind of advice: you should trust the person and know they are qualified to advise you.

What do you think?

[Adrian Setterfield]

hello Marty

some good points along the way I see...

no1: I couldn't agree more with you

no2:I noticed how this courage waxed and waned and waxed again over the years. It seems to get more simple the older you get..this one can take one into some fine subtleties about thingies we believe about ourselves that just aren't true to begin with but never the less persist.

no3: so true, huh...reminds me of Gollum's preciousness and that can play havoc on our mindsets telling us we are the greatest.

no4: I see this a lot,...especially when I'm feeling overworked in the area that earns my bread, my art takes backstage. But even a little bit of dabbling or paint throwing gets the show on the road again (so to speak)

no5: I've noticed that the more I come to terms with the facts about what I am which is part of what you have said in these points, the less personally I take criticism

have a nice day

Adrian