art+fear+guts

Warning: this post contains a bit of bragging, but there's a lesson here, I promise.

Last October, I participated in an annual art show and competition. I entered two pieces, a large abstract painting and a much smaller still life. Knowing that the show judge is an abstract painter himself, I figured that if one of my pieces was going to win a prize, well you know. I did win a Merit Award in Painting, but it was for the still life.

Valerie Timmons, Three Plums on a Plate, oil on canvas, 16x20"

As I accepted a ribbon and prize money from the judge, he said, "I really love your painting. It's very gutsy." Gutsy? I had never thought of my artistic endeavors in that way. But my still life was certainly very different from the other still lifes that were entered.

I thought a lot about "gutsy" over the ensuing days. I had been toying with a different approach to the work for an upcoming solo show, and it occurred to me that a gutsy artist wouldn't think twice about implementing the changes I contemplated.

So I took the plunge and changed direction. And I could not be happier with the result. The show opened on March 1, and the work was very well received. I sold two pieces at the opening, and the show will be up another three weeks.

Images from the opening of 'Duality' - my solo show

I sent the judge from the fall show an email letting him know what a profound effect that one word had on me, and he was kind enough to respond and recommend a book he thought would be helpful: 'Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking' by David Bayles and Ted Orland. Any artist in any creative field, at just about any stage of their creative career, will find themselves in the pages of this book. It's now one of those books I start again every time I finish it.

In sum, one word from a knowledgeable but virtual stranger completely changed the way I viewed myself as an artist and the way I approached my work. So get gutsy! I may have t-shirts printed.