What's Your Style

Spring has sprung and I'm very excited to go shopping for some new clothes. Just thinking about the beautiful new clothing lines on the department store racks gets my heart thumping and my wallet burning a hole in my pocket. Though I would have to admit that I find clothing and the designers who create them to be very artistic that's not the "Style" I'm referring to in my blog today.

Eduard Fleminsky Abstract
 Modern-Age Impressionism

Artistic Style! I'm not a trained artist and I have never studies all the amazing artists and styles out there that have come before me/us.  But even I know who Monet, Pollock, Van Gogh, da Vinci and Michelangelo are and have greatly admired their works as well as many others. As a self taught artist who is still trying to discover my style I have some burning questions, 'Does the artist choose their style OR does the style choose the artist'? What is the true measure of an artist? Can they turn on and off different styles, creating paintings in whichever style they choose on an given day? OR does the art and image come to life through the artist who is merely a conduit for the art itself?


Like a fashion newby, young adult, green artist I have tried on a lot of styles, hoping to find the right one for me. Some styles have felt very comfortable and other styles have felt quite awkward. I have days where I'm distracted and the art just doesn't want to flow through me, on those days I really struggle. Other days the art comes to me and I see it clearly in my head. On those days I know which colors to reach for, how to lay them on the canvas and the brush seems to move it's self. On those magical days the style that happens on the canvas seem to be my own with no distinctive "Style" but rather several styles all smooshed together. Is that how many artist feel? Work? Create?

I'll leave it at that today. With some burning questions that some day may reveal themselves to me in those special "Ahh Haa" moments.  I would love to hear from you. Have you had a break through with your art and discovered your style? Are you classically trained or a self taught/discovered artist?

Have a wonderful day, create and be happy.