My Art…Or is it?

My son Jonathan developed the site on which I share my art.  He has encouraged me to write about what I do and how I feel about the art I produce.  As I was creating a picture a few weeks ago and thinking about a subject for a blog, I thought, “Where does this motivation to create something come from?” 

The answer seems obvious – perhaps I see something striking or intriguing.   Perhaps someone commissions me to produce a picture and I try to recreate it with chalk.  That may be some of it, but I’m not sure that’s the whole story.  As I created a new piece, I started to ponder what was happening.  I looked at the picture I was recreating, looked at the box of numerous colors and shades and thought, “What color next?  Is it the exact color?  If not, why did I choose that color and will it work?”

Once I decided what I wanted to produce, and started to create the piece, the art took over in a sense.  It started to tell me where I was going.  Sounds strange right?  The proof that this premise is correct is in the times I am discouraged with a piece of art and want to tear it up and start again.  I never do!  Something always tells me, “It will be OK, keep going.”  And that “something” has always been right!  If I just continue, the piece of art seems to always come together.  I am always a little surprised but have never thought about why this happens.  The answer was and is that the art, with my help creates itself!