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Listen to the Muse
Every artist is touched with intuition. It comes in the form of a voice, a feeling, a nudge that tells you to follow a path. It is what led you to the brush and keeps you working at the easel. You must recognize it, respect it, and sometimes rein it in.
Your ability may be in composition, drawing, application, or any number of gifts. My intuitive voice is literally a voice, I hear color. It is not a voice outside my head (thank goodness!) but rather an inside voice that will announce a color that is needed to move the painting forward. The voice is clear and demanding. It is there when I am making my initial decisions on the palette, and counsels as I create the painting. Patience is part of intuition and if the colors begin to lose direction it is time to sit quietly and listen. I learned long ago to pay attention to that voice and heed what it says. The voice quiets and there is a sense of relief when colors are in sync.
When I first began painting in pastel, I knew nothing about color and asked advice from my instructor about flesh tones. His answer was “Look at what you see and put it down.” This was as freeing as it was frustrating. Staring at the model I saw colors that were not typical “flesh tones.” There was a full spectrum of hues I did not expect. When I went to paint my blonde toddler I found his hair was a grayed green and not yellow. The world was far richer in color that I had realized and I laid down all the vivid tones I saw with gusto. Color was my muse but I lacked knowledge in design and value. It wasn’t until I learned to control the colors within the value structure that I understood the power of color. I walk a fine line between technical proficiency and intuition. Having the practical knowledge gives me the means to explore the intuitive voice
As an instructor, there is no greater reward than to watch someone else discover their voice. Sometimes a talent is apparent from the start, often it emerges with diligence and trust. I have had countless conversations with students who are frozen at the easel, battling their intuition and what they think they should do. The conversation starts as “I feel I should…. but I know ……” My reply is to follow the feeling. The worst outcome is that it doesn’t work. That does not mean the intuition was wrong it may be a case that the student does not have the practical know-how to make it happen. The satisfaction of enlightenment comes from struggle. I work with them to hone technical mastery so I can encourage them to follow when their voice comes calling.
Become skilled in the foundation of painting so when the muse calls you will know how to listen.
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