One year ago I attended my very first portfolio review event so that I could have my portfolio critiqued by five different professionals in the photography and art world. I had no idea what to expect, no pre-conceived notions of how it would go or how it should go. I was looking for unbiased answers to the question of how my art is perceived. I can’t say that I got unbiased answers, but I did get some advice that stuck…
As an artist or creative person, what are the worries that keep you up at night? For me, it changes like the wind. Many nights I go to bed fulfilled. Some nights my brain won’t shut off with ideas. Other nights I tell myself I’ll never make anything ever again. My brain is very dramatic. For the last year I have been working on a series that I’ve only shown a few people. That means that the work I have…
I have been teaching fine art photography for 6 years. In those years, I have had to scrutinize what makes fine art photography successful so that I can pass on that knowledge to others. My method has been to try what feels right, document what fails (and why), what succeeds (and why), and pass that on to others. One consistent piece to the “fine art” puzzle has been the importance of a portfolio. Not just any portfolio; a tight-knit, well…
Feeling trapped in our own creativity is the ultimate in psychological backwardness. Growing up we see artists who appear free in every sense of the word. They seem to never be tied down to commitment or obligation. They are wild and “out there”. And as we grow up watching these figures we assume that being an artist means freedom. Yet how many of us feel trapped in our creativity? I believe this feeling of entrapment comes from two sources. One is…
How often do you find yourself creating because it feels right? Or making something just for yourself? Do you feel you are expressing your deepest message through your craft? These are the questions I ask fellow creatives when we meet and the answer is not positive nearly often enough. I hear so much frustration from others about the lack of time, energy and money it requires to create the art that we love. I gathered these roses ages ago for…