Artists and their art, in their own words...

As a working artist and an educator, I put great value on opportunities to hear artists articulate their own process and describe and discuss their own work. We live in a time where there are so many voices that categorize, analyze, and dissect creative work. In order to work, I find I often have to walk away from those voices for a while, to get to that authentic voice within me, that voice drives me to draw and paint, that helps me get back to my own life, to what is "really real" for me. It can be uncomfortable at times, but, in the end I am always better and more fully alive for it.

At times, when I feel a bit lost and cannot access that space in my heart and head, I turn to the words of artists before me. Please note I go to their words whether they be in journals, letters, etc. not the words of art historians, critics, etc. It is that genuine art spirit that I am seeking to feed my own spirit in my own journey. I encourage you as an artist to do the same. Here are some resources:

Painters on Painting, edited by Eric Protter
Odilion Redon's journal, To Myself
The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh
Michelangelo's Letters and Poetry

Listen to Jim Carey, known for his comedy discuss his painting:
https://vimeo.com/226379658