Mary Lawler - Art Blog
What Is On Your Artistic Bucket List?
by marylawler , April 27, 2009—12:00 AM
I believe that as long as you are here, you should be, curious and engaged in what interests you, always learning, always challenging yourself. Many artists have stated that they need to make art in order to feel balanced or complete, that a challenge is what drives them to improve and expand. If you feel that way then you must have a bucket list. Even accomplished, talented, tops in their field, artists have something they want to explore to broaden their work.
I'll go first.
1. Take a life drawing class 2. Learn to paint (well) 3. Conquer flourishing 4. Write a book (does that count?) 5. Incorporate lettering with altered surfaces 6. Become proficient with raised gilding 7. Go back to quills and vellum 8. Carve letters in stone 9. Make more uninterrupted studio time
Now, what is on your artist's bucket list?
COMMENTS
10/01/2009 * 01:04:28
What a great idea! Some of yours were appealing e.g.#1,5 and 6. also liked some of Jackies list.
1.Learn how to make websites
2.Learn to use my digitl camera, etc.etc
3.learn Photoshop
7. Set up a studio space(other than dining room table)
I'm going to embellish on this tomorrow in my diary....
05/30/2009 * 08:23:26
Hi Mary,
I'm really bad at this, in art as in life. I am truely not "ambitious"; i.e., there has never been a thing I wanted to become, or a place i wanted to be in five years. I have been praised by enlightnment types for living day to day; I do this, but can't take any credit for the "achievement".
So my list would probably come out something like this:
1. Learn how to want things.
2. Spend at least five minutes a day thinking about tomorrow.
3. Make an effort to affect my future.
The troubler is, my heart isn't in it.
( homepage )
05/19/2009 * 15:20:15
I guess that bucket list could be part of a business plan. What are my ultimate goals? I have many, but what is reasonably achievable?
1. I would like to, ultimately, live from my art.
2. That would require being able to get up every morning, and aim to paint for at least half a day, or the whole day if I don't get too tired.
3. I wish I had a solo or a joined show in a prestigious gallery.
4. I would like to learn calligraphy. I always wished I did that, and one day I will! I think that new skill would make me a more complete artist.
5. I would like to be able to take 1 or 2 workshops per year, with an artist I admire.
6. I want a new easel!
( homepage )
04/29/2009 * 00:24:29
In no particular order, other than the random order they spring to my mind...
1. Learn to paint with encaustics
2. Learn to weld
3. Write a book
4. Spend at least one year working only as an artist
5. Continue painting every single year
6. Make a more concentrated effort to exhibit my work locally and beyond.
( homepage )
04/28/2009 * 11:22:08
Jackie, that is a great list and some of it is accomplish-able in the near future.
Interesting how much of our list is similar!
( homepage )
04/27/2009 * 17:19:55
What a wonderful idea, Mary...here's my list:
1. Learn how to make websites
2. Take formal lessons in painting and drawing
3. Learn how to really use my digital camera to its full advantage.
4. Learn Photoshop.
5. Have a one-woman show of my art.
6. Take a ceramics class.
7. Set up a studio space that isn't my dining room table
8. Schedule more "art" time in my life
Annie Taylor ( homepage )
12/11/2009 * 11:49:10
Brilliant! Echoes my philosophy entirely - pack as much in as possible and make sure I keep working towards becoming a better artist. As I won't ever know whether that has been achieved it's a wonderful lure to keep going! So:
1. Learn some new techniques to add to my artistic toolkit
2. Paint some 'quieter' paintings (I am a colour addict)
3. Learn to use photoshop
4. Find a good agent to work with
5. Paint, paint, paint, every day
6. Abstraction