Drawn in Solitude
This month’s blog was intended to be about the current series I am working on. But after writing and rewriting, it occurred to me that this series is in its infancy and likely not ready to be discussed at all on a deeper level. Sometimes, I know what my work is about or what it will be titled even before I paint it. Other times (like now), I must let the work speak to me before I can discover the meaning behind it. CREATIVITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE RUSHED, and when making art, one must learn to be patient. The hours that add up in the studio can be long and arduous, as new works are slowly coaxed into being. What is not often talked about is the amount of solitude required to create work that is meaningful.
“Mes amis” is still a working title, but I like the sound of it. I’ve been steadily painting inspirations from my trip to France, and I was starting to feel a little lonely. So, I decided to dive into this figure drawing. It captures a fond memory of a summer’s night with good wine and people that have become dear to me.
Because every painting or drawing has its own timeline, there is no end to solitude and sometimes the loneliness that follows. As an artist, social interaction is hard to come by and instead you learn to make friends with your tools, converse in your sketchbook, and build a friendship with the painting in front of you. This lifestyle is not for the faint of heart, and those who are not called upon may not understand what it means to be truly alone. The more I have dedicated my life to art, the more I begin to see how it influences my relationships and how it has become important to only seek out reciprocal interactions that will provide the best opportunities. Those rare gems are few and far between these days, but my artwork is the one constant friend that never waivers.
Recently, I spoke with my mentor and college professor about the depth of loneliness that an artist experiences when creating their work. He told me that if I truly wanted to pursue my art then I must be willing to make sacrifices. TIME, SPACE, AND COURAGE are necessary in accessing the depths of my soul and processing its innermost contents into something magical. This is where I will find my best work. Become comfortable with being alone, my mentor told me, and tighten your belt. He also confirmed that it would not be easy, but if I do not give up, then these long battles of solitude will be rewarded in the end. My determination and focus on his advice are what continues to drive me forward.
As the seasons change and the nights lengthen, solitude becomes ever more prevalent. The darker half of the year is a time for turning inward and reflecting on what has past and what is yet to come. For me personally, these silent days have been a stark contrast to the bustling city life of Paris and even that of the quaint French countryside that I was so immersed in not too long ago. Though I find myself alone and in a land that has become foreign to me, I recognize this as an opportunity to build and develop my artistic skills. It is both a gift and a curse to have such a length of time available and the solitude in which to do it. But as the cycles of nature have taught me, NOTHING GOOD IS EVER RUSHED and EVERYTHING IS TEMPORARY. Soon enough, I’ll be traveling abroad on another adventure that will likely influence a whole new string of artwork. Until then, the present moment is all there is. The lonely silence is only interrupted by the sound of my brushstrokes repeatedly scraping across the canvas, in search of memory and meaning. Such is the cyclic life of an artist.
“Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.”