My Art Style
My art is usually inspired by something that I can emotionally resonate with. Whether that is a person or a feeling, the connection has to mean something to me. I’m certainly not a fine artist, nor do I have the capacity to concentrate for a huge amount of time. But, because of my addictive nature, I’d like to get some things off my chest.
Many pieces of my art have multiple layers beneath them. It might start with a colour that I really enjoy. Or, it’s entirely possible that I was compelled to paint the canvas with some leftover paint and I saw something emerge in the strokes I made.
Other times, the things I want to paint will come to me in my dreams or in a passing thought. I’ll then play with the idea for a while before I finally get down to making the creative vision a reality.
The process of actually getting my project finished is a different story. And, I’m certainly not the only artist that leaves pieces unfinished for months on end. Typically, I find enjoyment in starting the project only to then try and distract myself from completing it. In reality, the work remains in its unfinished limbo because I’m not ready to face up to the emotional challenges the process has conjured.
I know I’m going to be exposed to difficult feelings, so I’ll do whatever I can to avoid the art in the meantime. Not to worry though, I also know it will be revisited at some point. It’s simply my process.
To me, art is an emotional journey. It’s overcoming my pains, it’s dealing with the events of my life and the people that are in it. On the other hand, it’s also just something massively enjoyable to me when I’m in the zone and playing around with colours.
My take is that art can never go wrong — it’s really impossible to make a mistake in art.
Of course, if you’re trying to be a fine artist and you want to duplicate or replicate photography, you can certainly make mistakes. But, if you just want to be an artist, there’s no set finish line in the process and you simply can’t go wrong.
It means that art is an amazing opportunity to step outside of yourself and the confines of civilization and the expectations of others. You can get angry in art, you can cry in art, you can love in art. With just a few brush strokes, you can feel an immense privilege and pride about what you’ve done and what you’ve achieved.
The end goals that I initially start with rarely manifest within my final work. And that journey is simply phenomenal. What’s more, I am a better person when I complete a piece of art and it’s so much more fulfilling. The takeaway is this: In the long run, you’re left with so much more after producing a piece of art, than a night on the pop.
Originally published at https://deanohewitts.com on January 26, 2022.
