What Every Artist Must Unlearn

October 23, 2017

Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye.. it also includes the inner pictures of the soul. - Edvard Munch

Almost every Artist copies. Almost every trained Artist follows a prescribed script. Artists spend countless hours and many years, and sometimes a small fortune, to learn methods and rules for creating art. They want to become great Artists, they want to create something that will be accepted.

The really enlightened Artist spends the rest of their lives trying to unlearn all of those things. 

I think that's what Pablo Picaso was saying when he uttered the words, It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.

When I was a child, I painted and drew pictures for the simple joy of it. My imagination ran wild and I was transported to strange and fantastic places. There were moments when I was absolutely happy.

As we learn the rules, our drawings and paintings become better, or at least they are perceived to be better. And for each good drawing or painting, we are given praise and this reinforces our adherence to the rules. 

I wanted to seek out the mysteries of drawing and painting. And as the years past I, like every other average Artist, got better at following the rules and the work improved.

These days, I contemplate the meaning of all those rules and I try to recapture the freedom and joy of my childhood. I have those moments, now and again, but much of the time, I am torn between the two worlds, the world of rules and process, and the world of childhood joy. 

I don't know why the two are at odds and maybe the answer isn't in living in one or the other, but in finding harmony between the two. Picasso, would probably say that was bullshit.

Whatever the case may be, I'm sure the journey must be different for everyone. Maybe just recognizing these ideas is enough? Or maybe this is all just a metaphor for life and the lesson is to do what gives your soul joy.