Musings on Why

As I mention in the About section of this blog, I've always been really interested in visual arts, especially drawing, painting, and photography. One of my Great-Grandfathers was particularly talented at oil painting and some of his work has helped informed my continued fascination with the medium ever since.



However, the biggest reason I never really did much with art, despite my fascination with it, is that I decided that I couldn't draw. More specifically, that I didn't have the talent for it, the innate ability as it were.

Did you ever have one of those friends in high school that was simply an amazing artist? Somebody who seemed to be able to draw amazing images without apparent effort? We all did, you have even been one of the ones we thought did it effortlessly.

The thing is, they weren't effortless! In fact, they took a lot of effort, effort in acquiring and building on the skill needed to actually be good at it. As we progress on our art journey, especially as kids, we get to that stage where we actually care what that the result looks like what we see. It is at that point where many of us get frustrated and decide we can't draw. I got there once.


What ultimately motivated me back in to the world of art (and my newly found addiction to art supplies) was that I came across a few sites where I could see the history of progression in their artistic abilities. People who went from the place that I'm at now (and I hold no illusions) to the place where I'd really like to be.

It was like a lightbulb went off. Seriously. That's when I really realized that the effort to become effortless is something you have to work at, that it's not something you're simply born with. So, while some may have an easier journey, this is true, it's still a journey. They didn't become amazing artists at birth, they did have to work on it. I'm hoping, some day, that my public progression has some influence on others in the same way.

So, in the meanwhile, work at it.