Detail from “Arcade” by Nicholas Wilton
People desire art because it makes them feel alive. Like leaving a monotonous office job for a vacation, Art gives people a new, fresh experience that they crave. The Art that we notice, talk about and dream of does this really, really well.
The primary reason is because it is different from things we have all seen before. Great art is great for this very reason.
So how do we make Art that is truly different?
The answer cannot be found in books or even on the Internet. It certainly cannot be discovered in other artist’s work, although sometimes it appears so. The answer is the same one I use to explain to everyone I teach who doubt their own creative abilities.
The answer is based on two facts.
Fact #1:
Each of us is utterly and totally unique.
Fact #2:
If we make our Art more like ourselves, it will be utterly and totally unique.
That’s it. Plain and simple. No one is excluded. There are no special people with gifts ordained from above as much as some of us would like to believe. The creative pursuit is available to anyone. All that is needed is the desire and curiosity to make and develop work that feels more and more like yourself.
If you do this, your work will be utterly unique. And then, and only then, will the World desire your work.
In fact, they will crave it.
Think of some of your best work. Is it so because it was something new you hadn’t seen before? What was the response? Please leave your comments below.
Encouragingly, Nicholas
