Thursday, November 10, 2011

Admiration for Kirsty Hall

I know that like all artist you probably research constantly for good advice or critic. I would love to quote Kirsty Hall with some of the best I have heard.

"I've seen far too many people, particularly at art school, endlessly struggling with a medium or form that they just don't enjoy. Why? Art is hard enough without handicapping yourself with a process that doesn't excite you.  You need a certain amount of joy to get through all the bits that you don't like, so don't lumber yourself with a form that just doesn't do it for you - it's not noble, it's just masochistic!"

"Anyone who tells you that art is a wonderful, creative thing that always makes you happy is an idiot!  Annoyance, small bursts of depression and large doses of frustration are a normal part of the artistic process.  It doesn't mean that you're no good, that you're not cut out to be an artist or that you're doing the wrong thing, it just means that you're engaged with your work.  Just make sure that you do have a deep core of love for your process - if you're annoyed all the time then you probably need to reconsider your medium.  In my experience, anger and frustration usually happen right before a breakthrough and it's a sign that I need to stick with a piece - although if I'm throwing things around the studio and yelling, I tend to take a day off! Feeling low usually happens when I've just completed something big - I call it The Exhibition Blues - and it's always a sign that I need to step away from art for a while to recharge my batteries, assess what I've just finished and get ready for the next piece."

Kirsty Hall is one of the best artist I know for giving other artist advice...including myself.  Thank you Kirsty for the kick in the butt that we all need on occasion. We all need that moment to step back...follow her at http://kirstyhall.co.uk/blog