Being the Best Artist You Can Be When Producing Design Work and Canvas Art

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It is most satisfying to produce work that genuinely represents your true voice. When you are creating work that reflects your proper calling and resonates with the purpose of your existence you make artwork that is genuine and that others will love also. In this article I describe my ideas on finding your individual style as an artist or designer so that you can focus more time and effort making the work that really works for you and your audience.

In my experience there is a common thread that emerges through a person's work that suggests the archetypal message or story that is emerging through that person's design or canvas art. Finding your own voice often entails a process of listening to the voice that is trying to emerge as opposed to forcing your conscious ideas upon the creative process which can often be counterproductive. Our conscious thinking is quite often survival based and reflects the lower ego needs of a human being. These ego needs, such as the need for approval, can often sabotage the purer artwork that is arising. Throughout the ages the best artwork has generally reflected the higher values of humanity such as deep philosophical questioning or social change. Finding your voice as an artist is about sensing the direction that life is taking you and allowing that process to direct the artwork. What part of the story of life is your art telling?

Throughout every piece of work you have created since you started to make art (which may even mean going back to when you were a young child or teenager) is a clue as to your purpose as an artist. It is about discovering these messages that continue to arise and then piecing them together into the overall communication of your life as an artist. To get a better idea about your purpose as an artist ask yourself these questions...

• What common threads have emerged throughout your work?
• What subject matter or themes is your work continually pulled back to?
• What is the direction of your work?
• Which pieces have been most satisfying and why?
• How does your work usually function when perceived by a viewer?
• Are you interested in communicating particular ideas and informing the viewer about new perspectives?

And remember that as an artist there will always be a continual process of discovery. The creative process of an artist is always in flux and motion. Your work will grow as you grow and change as you change, and as the context of your life changes. A good piece of advice is to not be too eager to find out how the story ends right away because this might not be possible. Some will be successful and discover their purpose and always have that clear understanding of the message they deliver. Some artists will only truly understand their work with the benefit of time in hindsight. Some others may never understand their work at all, leaving their contribution behind to be appreciated and understood by others. Hopefully, all will enjoy the process. In my humble opinion the most effective indicator that you are focusing on your purpose as an artist is that you are happy producing the work you are producing. An enjoyable process is a purposeful process.

I hope this article has been helpful in assisting you with your design work and canvas art.