The Messy Artist
Artists are often seen as unstable, flighty, disorganized, intensely focused, and eccentric oddities. And messy. And why not? When the paint is flying everywhere, who doesn’t want to be messy? (You can check out a long list of even more labels on The Paperblanks Blog or some common traits also described on Art and Design Inspiration.)
However, as with most stereotypes, I find artists as varied in their personalities as the art is itself. Which makes sense. So much of who we are goes into what we make. When art is anything from the Photorealism of Andrew Grassie’s “Tate New Hang 6” to Leyton Rowley’s Paint Throwing Abstracts - it makes sense our personalities and work styles vary as greatly as our choice of materials, subject matter, and artistic style.
So, even though I may fit some of the stereotypes (as a sensitive, hyper-aware, problem-solver, to name a few) - when I make excuses for my messy studio - it’s because I prefer a tidy studio. Neither you (nor I) should let me off the hook because “she’s an artist.”
And with that brief Friday thought, as I look over at my table-top disaster, I realize that instead of writing more here today - I’ll be cleaning my studio.
Hope you all have a lovely Friday and an even lovelier weekend!
Cheers,
Jennifer