Step Back From Life's Canvas

In life it is extremely important to express yourself and if you explore as many different avenues of expression as possible each will enrich your journey towards self-awareness.  I know it works for me.

I have stayed on an artistic path most of my life - I am an Actress, Dancer, Writer as well as a Painter. I enjoy and pursue each passionately but painting is different - when I'm standing (or sitting) in front of a canvas with a brush full of paint in my hand I become absolutely, unapologetically insular. I love stepping in front of a blank canvas NOT knowing what I will create. I cherish it because, for me, it's the one artistic activity where I can completely get lost within myself.

A gal and her music - by DawnMarie (Oil on Canvas)

When I'm painting I can express myself without the pressure of being judged by anyone else except well... myself. If I don't like what I create on the canvas I can throw it out or paint over it and start again. Painting allows me to get in touch with my impulses and intuition; it has also been one of my greatest teachers.

Dancer w/o a face - By DawnMarie (Acrylic on Canvas)

BECOMING AN ARTIST

I've always had a great appreciation and love of art and artists. As a kid I remember walking through the Guggenheim amazed and inspired. (Which I still do til this day - when ever I walk through museums or walk past a street vendor peddling their artwork).

For some reason I've always felt like I could draw, somewhere inside me I felt like I should be able to sit down and sketch and paint but I seriously didn't know how to draw a straight line. This was a wellspring of frustration for me UNTIL I met Ms. Muth - she was my art teacher in High School.

Ms. Muth was THE best! She taught me to approach drawing differently. She introduced me to a drawing technique and eventually I learned to draw but more importantly she taught me HOW to look at the world through an artists eyes.

Scarlett in abstract - by DawnMarie (Oil on Canvas)

THE ARTISTIC EYE

Ms. Muth taught me to look at my subject as if it was a jigsaw puzzle - the technique is called  "The Grid Method". The method is used in scale drawing -  by breaking down an image into sections the focus is placed on the pieces that make up the overall picture. Within this structure I flourished as an artist. I found it much easier to approach my subject when my focal point was on the parts instead of the overwhelming whole.

FREEDOM

With Ms. Muth by my side I found my confidence as a artist. I became more and more free with each sketch, painting and sculpture I created for class. As my confidence grew so did my freedom which in turn allowed me to tap into my imagination.

Once I was uninhibitedly painting Ms. Muth said something that I refer back to even when I am away from the canvas. She simply pointed out that periodically "you have to step away from the canvas."

STEP BACK FROM THE CANVAS

In front of my easel I could become so wrapped up in piling more and more on top of a canvas that it would soon become a mess of grey... literally. Especially when working with water colors and oils - oh the messes I have made learning this lesson in my art... AND in my life as well!

Just the simple act of "stepping away from the canvas" allows for objectivity and I can then clearly discern what is being created.  My personality borders on OCD, I could easily become obsessed with the details of say the shading of a dress or the arm of a chair, so much so that creativity has been replaced with a stifling perfectionism.

Magazine lady - by DawnMarie (watercolor on paper)

I frequently step away from a painting for weeks and months at a time and when I return to them with fresh eyes I am relieved and refreshed by the break. Artisically speaking, when I return to a canvas after a break it is inevitable that my work has an imaginative flow to it and therefore exponentially better - at least in my eyes.  

LIFE'S CANVAS
Christmas is right around the corner and that means New Year's is not far behind. It's the perfect time to "step back from the canvas" of your life to see what you are creating.  I promise you, you'll be glad you did.

** Leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts **