What makes you a Curious Artist?
Kids are curious – although my five-year-old just told me that she knows more than me. Apparently she has the answer to everything. I laugh to myself. It has begun already! She seems so young to think she knows it all…
Do you still find yourself curious? Or do you know everything? That’s a rhetorical question!
Let’s see what Leo Burnett, the famous American advertising executive, has to say about curiosity. Next in our series – quote #2:
“Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.” – Leo Burnett
Reflection:
Curiosity is important, not just for artists, photographers, musicians, designers, writers, and the creative-lot alike; everyone can benefit from curiosity.
Curiosity:
- Is a path to learning new things
- Keeps you growing as a person
- Develops meaningful interests
- Makes your artwork more intriguing
- Causes you to ask the right questions
- Helps you get to know people better
Over the summer I read a great (and curious!) novel by Jonathan Safran Foer called Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. The main character is a young boy named Oskar…
… I just realized: it’s fitting that I am reflecting on this book today, since it is September 11. This was not intentional, but my subconscious is tuned-in to the date I suppose. Who can even say September 11 without remembering where they were when it happened? Today, and every day, my heart goes out to all those affected by the events that took place back in 2001. Not long ago I visited the site of the Twin Towers and my heart broke – there were so many names lining the fountain memorials. Too many names…)
Back to the novel: the story is about Oskar’s search for a lock to match the key he found in his father’s belongings. Oskar’s father died in the 911 tragedy.
The author has done a remarkable job of writing from Oskar’s perspective. Oskar’s mind never stops and one idea leads to another. He is the embodiment of curiosity. He wonders about everything… sometimes it can be a little exhausting, but because of his curiosity, he is such an interesting character and comes up with truly novel ideas.
If you have time to read Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, I’d recommend it. On a side note, it was a very gentle take on the 911 tragedy. It made me reflect on the heartache from a child’s perspective.
Artists – creative people in general – are and should be curious. I believe it is curiosity that prompts art in the first place. Art is curious because:
- It asks us questions of ourselves, the one who made it
- It asks questions about the world
- It asks questions about culture, society, race, religion
Change comes because of questions and questions come because of curiosity.
Have you gotten bored? If so, it’s time to get inspired! Visit an art gallery or museum, read something new, travel to a foreign destination, meet new people, take a class. Curiosity is within your control.
What are you curious about?
How do you feed your curiosity?
Best wishes to you as you pursue your creative passions!
– Alexis Marie
Inspiration at the MIT MUSEUM
Inspiration is inevitable at the MIT Museum!
The MIT Museum is one of the coolest places on earth. There are robots, inventions and exhibitions that had me shaking my head in awe. Their impressive collections include science and technology, architecture and design, and holography – just to name a few!
If you want to visit the MIT Museum, here are the details:
Open Daily 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. except major holidays
Adults: $10.00; youth under 18, students, seniors: $5:00; children under age 5: free
265 Massachusetts Ave.
Building N51
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: 617-253-5927
Fax: 617-253-8994
E-mail: museuminfo@mit.edu
Some of my favorite exhibits at the MIT Museum:
Robots and Beyond: Exploring Artificial Intelligence at MIT
An exhibit that reminded me of Terminator – just kidding (sort of)! There you will see tele-operated surgical robots, robotic legs, socially intelligent humanoid robots and other prototypes.
Gestural Engineering: The Sculpture of Arthur Ganson
Featuring Arthur Ganson’s kinetic sculptures, this exhibit was both staggeringly inventive and aesthetically beautiful. The artist’s invitation: “The objects are part of a cycle. I take an idea from my heart, but it is not complete until you have seen it, and found your own meaning in it.”
Photography
Their photography exhibits were also pretty amazing!
I am still reeling from my visit to the MIT Museum. Have you ever been there? If I hadn’t visited with my three-year-old and five-year-old who wanted to race through and see it all (as fast as they could), I imagined myself hanging around there all day, sketching the robotics and sculptures, reading every informational panel and soaking up the creativity and inventiveness of the students and expert thinkers and their ideas shared within the space. What a gift! Maybe on my next trip to Cambridge, MA.
What museums get your mind buzzing?
What places do you find yourself lingering and soaking everything up?
Continue Painting to Silence your Inner Doubt
At the beginning of July, I shared “Inspiring Quotes for Artists” with helpful words by famous artists, writers and designers. For the next few months I will be writing a creative reflection based on each of the eleven quotes.
I hope you find the reflections helpful – and please comment below with your own ideas, inspirations and revelations from the quotes.
Today, we begin with quote #1:
Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh
“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced”
– Vincent Van Gogh
Reflection:
The hardest part of any endeavor is just getting started.
When I was facing artistic block (the visual artist’s version of writer’s block) when I was in art school, I received one of the best pieces of advice:
PAINT SOMETHING UGLY.
That was it. Paint an ugly painting!
Painting an ugly painting has many benefits:
- It gets you started
- It removes expectations that the artwork should be aesthetically pleasing
- It allows you to have fun
- It opens your mind to be free and wander as you create
- You can explore techniques outside your comfort zone
- And, it sets the bar so low so that when you do set out to make your next painting, you feel proud of the progress from that first messy experiment
It is easy to let self-doubt, insecurities, and fear get in the way of making the artwork you were born to create. An important part of the artist’s job is calming the inner-self, nurturing the creative spirit inside of you, and being uninhibited as you work.
What do you do to break free from artist’s block?
Have you ever tried making an ugly painting?
How do you nurture and protect your creative-self?
Best wishes to you as you make your art!
– Alexis Marie
