Saturday, March 1, 2008

So many nice folks stopped by.............

After being so afraid to open up my blog to the public it has turned out to be a nice experience so far. Lovely, new, artsy friends and I am finally flying free! (thank you Michelle)
I have a problem tho'. With seeing so much art on the web, how will I ever know if my art is my own?
This troubles me a lot. I want to be totally original but since I have not gone to a professional art school, I wonder what is mine and what is a mixture of 'theirs' that I see. Anyone else struggle with this?

My words however, and the way I say them, are definately my own.....I have no doubts there but the visual aspects, I have to question. I see something and I want to go do it too. Whenever I take a class locally, I want to do what the teacher is doing....not trusting myself to experiment until I get home again. What she puts on her list is what I want to get. If she uses a stamp then I feel I must use that stamp even tho' I figure I will never use it again. (I HATE that about me!)
I heard (or read) one of the teachers complain about this once because the store didn't have enough of her suggested stamps and the ladies were in a blind panic. She figured they could just choose another stamp but they didn't want to. Has she forgotten what it is like to be so new and still wet behind the ears? Anywho, I digress............
I want to be original and unique. I love birds but everyone seems to be using them. They are what move me and I want to use them but fear my art will look like someone elses.................
Michelle Ward has a strong influence over me. I like many artist's work but I just adore hers. It moves me so much.......the architectual imagery, the birds most certainly and I have literally had a ball using her images of paint splotches etc. I have really used those a lot!
So anyway, I was just wondering if I am the only person struggling with this issue.
When Altered books were HOT, I got into those. So it wasn't my original thought.............
Same with ATC's.........I just had to do those too.............
And then the 4x4 pages. Loved those............still, it wasn't something "I" thought of..............
Do I even have original ideas anymore? I am wondering.............

All I can do right now is just give a big confused Sigh..................

That's my story..........You know the rest........!!

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