An exploration of what is in the mind of this artist. Follow Kristin on a series of articles that will distill, explain, even uncover her point of view.
Casual Conversation Made Difficult.
I get this question all of the time: What goes through the mind of an artist? I find this to be a funny question, perhaps funny only because I have trouble finding a quick, authentic answer. In that moment where I am confronted with a curious stare and a bout of silence, my mind takes a nano second to get lost in thoughts of (but not limited to): my process, my message, takes a tour of my imagination--- and yet no words seem to align with my passion for my work. Left in a mad dash to stick with the beat of conversation, I scrounge up the words "I love creating portraiture" or something like " I'm really influenced by pop art". I even feel let down by my response.
Two Parts: A Click and a Clash.
So let's cut to the chase, the trite responses aren't from a lack of thought. Quite to the contrary, if anything, it's more of an over thought. In all honesty, it is the ultimate fear of not being valid. A fear that is enough to scare most out of ever putting their work into the world. So when I am asked 'what is going through my mind when I'm creating'-- I experience something as close to stage-fright as I can imagine. Cursed with a love of introspection and the want to influence, creates a click and clash that drives my creative process. 'It' becomes addictive, self-directed swing of energy. 'It' craves trial and error and the unpredictable end result only drives the process to a better product (Taleb 226). After all, art needs an audience to survive.
Isolation + Need of Validation.
There is a comfortable isolation that is inherent to creating art. A large part of you could hide in the studio forever. And then there is an equally, if not larger part of you, that seeks validation, a motivation to keep on creating. The very thought that the world could ignore your blood, sweat, and tears is what most often drives 'us' to an inaction. I have learned (and in the process of still learning) that practicing the courage putting yourself in the line of judgement, is just as important as the hours you spend perfecting your craft.
Books and Books: Staying Inspired.
Staying inspired requires you to stay hungry for a constant search of ideas. Reading is what helps me clarify interests, shifts in perspectives, and lends itself to the ability to explore fresh ideas. I find the act of reading guides --almost calms-- my thought process to the point of motivation to create. Because words are such a large part of what fuels my process, I am going to use these impactful books to frame my thoughts. These are the books that have gotten me steps closer to becoming that 'uninhibited doer' (Taleb 226) that I strive to become.
Taleb, Nassim Nicholas, 2012 "History Written by the Losers." Antifragility; Things That Gain from Disorder: Random House: New York