As part of this Bowie effluvia an excellent quote ran on Facebook this morning about being an artist that continually evolves. Bowie isn't the first one to say such sentiments, but he said them well:
If you feel safe in the area you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting. -- David Bowie
When making art, this is essential. It is so easy to get stuck in a rut of "what we do" that we forget we can change. Branch out, try new things, and grow in completely different directions based on what interests us and what we find enjoyable. Yup, enjoyable. I love the process I use to make fabric images, but honestly haven't been so productive with it over the past few years. Health has been one piece of the puzzle for sure, but so has boredom and a lack of growth.
Realizing you've been a stagnant artist is like living comfortably in a paper lunch bag that accidentally tears. A little light comes in through the small opening, and you pick away at it slowly, while still living safely inside. The "What if I try..." is on the outside, but the fear of losing the bag is it's partner. When the hole is opened enough, you can exit to see what is out there. If the hole is opened too much, though, there is no bag left. That can be a scary place to be for any artist. You can't really go back into that comfortable bag, as now you know that there is a lot more out there to consider. Another good article popped up about this yesterday on Facebook: Artists Evolve: The Dangers of Creatively Typecasting Yourself._
My bagless self has been looking at a lot of new artists lately, and I am interested in going to new places. They might not be as pretty, but they will be at least interesting to me. Which, at the end of the day, is what good art is made of, isn't it?
Happy Saturday!