Be an Artist They Said …..!

Be an artist they said, it'll be fun they said! Well here I am having fun! 

This sketch is a part of my Boucher inspired sketchbook page Allegory of Painting! Here we are, mid painting when the initial euphoria of ''this is going to be great'' phase has worn off and we’re at the ''ugly'' stage (I actually meant the painting but yes, the face as well). The Ugly stage is inevitable, I can’t remember creating a painting that didn’t go through this phase, the question is what to do about it. Despondency sets in and then it’s a question of binning or carrying on, as I'm Scottish and don’t like wasting my PastelCard, that tends to mean pushing on. 

Funny thing is that often, a couple of strokes later that feeling of yep, this could be going somewhere, sets in. That doesn’t mean to say the end result will thrill but it feels like progress. 

Is art my '' happy place'', well yes it can be but it is often a place of despair, worry, self-doubt and frustration. Often self-doubt prevents me from putting my art out there, like in social media. When I started on Instagram, artists got great feedback and loads of views, comments and likes and nowadays you've either got to have a mega-booty (which you are prepared to show in a thong from all angles) or be an ''expert'' on some inane subject like the difficulties of envelope opening when you’ve got a broken fingernail and be prepared to discuss the physical and emotional trauma that you’ve experienced with this situation (a couple of tears and a snotty nose make these videos all the more convincing!). Am I bitter? Cynical perhaps….. what, me? 

Just while I was debating buying a thong and working on my glutes, kudos appeared in the form of a follow and likes from none other than Keanu Reeves (official it said). Well, blow my socks off, Keanu Reeves likes my paintings. Despondency and self-doubt vanished into thin air, the struggle has been worth it, Instagram I love you, Keanu you have great taste! Wow it’s your private account too, and underneath your photo it says ‘‘verified'', I'm gobsmacked and truly humbled. 

The follow from Keanu really has made my morning, it even managed to put a smile on my ugly mug! I haven’t stopped laughing, come on Insta you can do better than that :)) What about a follow from Gagosian or Saatchi, now that would be inspirational. In the meantime I'm waiting for the DM from my buddy Keanu and a couple of purchases for his delightful home(s), I'm open for commissions too as long as they're not portraits or dogs! Silly me, Keanu knows better because he's liked all of my landscapes :)))