I was sitting here for a long time this morning, staring at the blank text box and blinking cursor, trying to think about what to write. Tuesdays, in general, I try to devote to my art.
I've been thinking about it a lot recently, my art, whether it is the hobby end of it - my photography - or the professional side. Is my photography art? I sometimes wonder. I'm not creating anything. I'm merely causing the shutter to open and close at a given moment in time, capturing what was there already. I've daydreamed, over the years, about a science fictional future that would allow me to trigger an eyeblink to an internal camera, and thus capture what I see, and how I see it.
Perhaps that is the difference: how I see it. I see beauty almost everywhere, but it's not always obvious to others. With the camera, I can remove the visual clutter, and distill what I am seeing down far enough to show it to the world. Sometimes. I have a lot to learn.
I have a lot to learn when it comes to painting and drawing, too. I'm working on that, when I have time. But I have also come to the conclusion that artistically speaking, I can't do photo-realism, like this artist can. I can sketch, and create more impressionist and minimalist paintings, but not the perfect replica art. I've known for a long time that I was too impatient to spend days or weeks on one work. I get bored, I get… OOH! Shiny…
So if I can imply something, hint that it is there, let your imaginations take over and supply the details, then I'm fine with that. I prefer it in my writing, and my art similarly. I'll never be a perfectionist. It both limits me, and frees me.
I have something in mind, if I find the time soon. See, I might not take long once I put paint to paper, but the mental part of the process can stew along for days and weeks. Then, when it's locked into my head as a cohesive image, I put it on paper. Sometimes just a doodle in a notebook, for lack of time. Rarely, on paper, and I keep thinking I'll try canvas…
Or maybe digital art. I've been shopping for a pen-tablet, the sort that you plug in to your computer and draw on. It would save me needing a folding table in the office when I want to do art, and messy supplies. And perhaps, this summer, I will find time to go take classes, as I had to drop the one I wanted at school due to scheduling issues.
Loose strokes, nothing's perfect, but still, the sleepy fox in the summer sun is clear.