2. Talk to artists and get critiques and ask them what they think my strengths are.
3. Take classes. The three art classes that I would still like to take include printmaking, watercolor, and book arts.
a. Printmaking – this class will help me learn more techniques and develop both my graphic design skills as well as my ink drawings. I do think that my style could be found through a variety of printmaking techniques.
b. Book Arts – I naturally gravitate towards text and books. Printmaking and book arts are heavily integrated and book arts will help with my ink drawings and graphic design skills.
c. Watercolor – I have never been much of a painter but watercolor techniques apply to ink and wash drawings.
4. Look at artwork that is significantly better than mine. Much of the work on this art walk was a level or two higher than the work that I am often surrounded by. I guess I should clarify that I am not used to seeing large bodies of work that are this strong.
5. Expanding on number 4, this might be part of the transition from student to working artist. Many students will do a small series (maybe 10 – 15 pieces) where these artists had 20 to 50 strong pieces that all were a part of a series. In school you work on projects and take on a style of what others like and there is a difference.
6. Experiment – some of the artists used all one medium and others used a large variety. All had something that carried through. For example Malia Graves-Gilmore used floor paint to create gorgeous splatter painted outdoor-safe paintings. Another artist, Scott McMillin used sculpted paper, glitter, beads, wood block prints, and paint to create his work. His colors, symbolism, and stories carried through. Laura Gable uses watercolor, oils, scratchboard, book arts, and printmaking techniques but her work has many similarities in style, color and the mixing of reality and surrealism.
7. Practice – I need to create a lot of garbage in addition to the work that is in these bodies of work.
8. Consistency – in order to develop an artist mindset (or mentality) I need to work and generate artwork. I have been doing this some (more this summer) but it needs to continue.
9. I might look into the post bac program at the University. The goal of this program seems to be to make this transition. You help out a professor while developing a style and body of work. The program may be much more about getting into grad school than making the transition.
10. Keep learning – whether I take university classes, classes from other artists, online tutorials, work menial jobs to support my habit (I mean process of developing a style, or simply dialog with other artists and designers, I need to continue to learn and absorb advice.
11. Pray – one artist that I talked to stressed the importance of talking to God and asking him to help with these decisions. I think this has more to do with generating a niche, rather than artwork but I do think that relying on God’s wisdom is a technique that should not be left out.
12. Commit to being an artist – I don’t think that an artist can just dabble, but needs to take the creation of work seriously. I am guilty of dabbling at times but much of this dabbling is also with the goal of learning what direction I need to go and learning which directions should be hobbies (or profitable hobbies).
13. Learn – Take every opportunity to learn from those who have more wisdom than myself. I also need to take people’s criticism and use it to fuel my goals and make me stronger.
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