The art of J. C. Leyendecker
"Art is art because it is hard." I had a professor say this to me recently, and I have been repeating it over and over in my head since then. I haven't really come to a full conclusion about what I think it means (and for that I am sitting here asking myself why I am writing a post about it,) but I do agree that art is hard!
I believe that art is hard in the sense that it is so personal that every mistake, whether the size of a molehill or a mountain, can in turn be perceived as just the opposite: a molehill for a mountain or mountain for a molehill. As an artist, you will always find a piece incomplete or far from perfect--at least!
Recently, I have been focusing on creating my work and stopping when I feel I should stop; not when I see that the painting is complete, but when I feel that I have reached a place where I love it! (Granted, there are times when I do NEED to keep painting. If I followed that rule always my homework assignments would never be completed.)
I think it's important to love your finished product. I have many pieces that end up deep in my closet simply because at the very end when I hold up my finished painting, and I don't love it. So, how do you love a piece? "Three Ts," Time, Thought, Techno Music.
Time: Don't rush your art. "Painting is not a race." It's the whole idea that "Rome wasn't built in a day" principle. Start and start again if you need to. Research beforehand. Make your drawing perfect! And, most importantly, take the time to sit back, look carefully at your art, observe it in every form and every inch, then take the time to have some good thoughts . . .
Thought: Make that art in your head. I find that when I photograph a piece and then stare at it for weeks on my wall, once I begin painting it--it's so much better! I let myself become excited about it! I figure out what I want it to say, and what I want to achieve during the process.
Techno Music: This is to remember to not get so serious about it! Let it be enjoyable. Making art is hard, but it's many more things before that.
