Return To Yourself: Artistic Voice.

Maybe you just want to try lots of fun things and paint whatever you feel like on any given day. Perhaps you enjoy copying pretty pictures. Or you might just want to relax and be told what to paint and exactly how to paint it. You do want to paint “good” paintings, but you may not need your art to look all that different from someone else’s. If any of these are true, you probably aren’t all that concerned with your artistic voice, what it is and whether you have one. That’s fine; everyone paints for different reasons. We all want to “fit in,” be accepted, and be comfortable with our peers. Being different can be scary.

     ‘Pitcher and Pears’ Watercolor Painting.

But if you look deeper, when it comes to being creative, most of us actually DO yearn to find our unique voice – one that feels true to ourselves and our own creativity. By expressing our originality, we’re most likely to produce our best work. And as humans, we naturally hunger to stand out and be accepted and valued for who we are, just as we are, including good and not as good parts. That is, we want to believe we are worthy exactly as we are.

     ‘River Shoes’ Watercolor Painting.

WHAT IS VOICE?

Your voice is what makes your art unique, what you do that no one else does, the choices you make in painting, the way you express who you are, how you give your art meaning, how you see the world, the emotions you feel and express. It’s the underlying message or feeling behind your art. In other words, what do you want to say? Your voice is always there – you just need to listen (to yourself, not others), hear it, and follow it.

HOW TO FIND VOICE.

Sometimes when trying to find your artistic voice, you may imagine that taking another workshop or watching more you-tube or how-to videos will give you some ideas. You certainly could find other artists whose voices resonate with yours and that can help you identify and develop your own artistic direction further. It can be easy and tempting to try to replicate someone else’s work; however, doing so will only lead away from expressing YOUR unique perspective. Developing your voice is not about copying someone else’s work, because doing so likely will short-circuit your imagination. Rather, it’s about understanding what rings true with you personally, and then using that inspiration as a jumping-off point for discovering more about yourself. 

         ‘Turkey Tails’ Watercolor Painting.

KNOW YOURSELF.

When you take classes, read books, watch videos and learn from others, you expose yourself to lots of new techniques, materials and ways to approach problems. Then, however, you must decide which ones express who you are, help you tell your story, and bring you the most pleasure. Add your own ideas and personal expression to construct your artistic voice. Make some choices. It may take a lot of introspection and self- examination to know yourself. At first, you may not know what you like or how you feel. You may think you have nothing to say or may even be critical of your individuality. Be kind, though, and trust your decisions. Try to notice small clues or nudges, your first impulses, your first thought as you look at something. Accept these hints without judgement or self-reproach, and you will soon be noticing more clues.

       ’Leeks At Farmer’s Market’ Watercolor Painting.

To learn more about artistic voice, you might like: “How Do I Develop My Artistic Voice?, (10/29/2019), https://leemuirhaman.com/2019/10/29/how-do-i-develop-a-personal-painting-style/ .

FINALLY.

Give yourself permission to experiment, take action, and follow your intuition. Make A LOT of art. Don’t be afraid to be original and trust yourself. Don’t worry what everyone else thinks. Do not fear mistakes. No one can tell you what’s important to you. To express your artistic voice, paint what you like, without anxiety, in a way that pleases and excites you.

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         ‘Mountain Top View’ Watercolor Painting.