Thursday, January 31, 2008

finished?

a question to ponder: how do you know when a piece of art or creation is "finished?"

as i explore the world of collage and visual journaling i am learning lots about myself in the process. images will almost choose themselves to be placed on the canvas. other times, i am impatient and want the paint to dry faster so i can move through the process more quickly. some products smear. others become very permanent, very fast. it is an ever changing process that is so intriguing to me as a "new artist."

the images posted here are actually the first page of my new visual journal (started a couple of weeks ago.) i originally took the quote, "dance as though no one is watching you" and hand wrote it along the margins. something did not settle with me, however, and i continued to return to the page until i realized that the message "CREATE as though no one is watching you" was what i really needed to say. so, i did a little modification resulting in the second image. i think it's finished now. maybe...

i would love to know: How do you know when a piece of art or creation is 'finished'?

4 comments:

azure said...

One thing I've noticed with my daily blogging. I always know when it's finished. Often I don't know where the piece is going when I start writing. Generally, I pick a photo that appeals to me that day and I start writing about it. Often the writing goes in unexpected directions. But there comes a point when it ends. I still may go back and revise it, improve the sentences and the verbs. But somehow I know when I've written the final sentence.

So now I have over 250 entries of this sort and what next? I don't know.

Like you, I am immersed in 'daily creastivity'.

Dianna Woolley said...

In my new quest for poetry - although I haven't started my Lenten "poetry discipline" yet - not til Shrove Tuesday:).....I have been playing with a verse in my head since yesterday afternoon. I toyed with it last evening and then before I went to sleep. Pondered this a.m. and I think now it is finished. You'll see it posted soon. I don't know HOW I know that it's finished.....it just feels right.

I love the CREATE as though.....perfect. I like the Dance as though and then realized as you unfolded your post, you were absolutely right - it had to be Create. Good job!

Les (Endlessly Restless) said...

I love this quotation - in both forms (you should see me dance!). I really like your visual journal -and I think it's finished when it feels right to you, every time.


Anyway, once again you've inspired me and en-couraged me to leap out of my comfort zone - see today's blog!

Kayce aka lucy said...

azure--i love hearing your thoughts on being immersed in daily creativity. very cool!

SS--your process sounds much like mine. sometimes a thought will wander around in my head for awhile and then decide it's ready to pop out. other times i am caught by surprise. look forward to the results of your poetry discipline!

ER--i love watching you leap out of that comfort zone. and i agree with it's done when it feels right :-)

onward, creative wonders!!!