Jeanean Songco Martin’s Response to:
“Finding Your True Motivation” article written by Lori Woodward Simpson
In the article, Lori defines the “fine artist to mean one who follows their heart, paints for themselves and develops their work according to their own vision rather than the request of a potential buyer or art director”. The commercial artist ,on the other hand, is ultimately painting for someone else first with monetary gain at the forefront and not necessarily painting what they would like to paint or believe in.
I consider myself to be a slow-emerging, mature artist, which means that life has taken me down many paths but always back to the center, to my art pursuits. I have always tried to paint in a way that expresses my feelings, in essence to follow my heart. Painting is after all a combination of the hand, heart and mind.
If one strives for excellence and stays on course keeping close ties to exactly what it is that motivates your work and not simply painting for commercial gain, I think the work will grow in a positive way. Lori also makes reference to the fact that there will be times when you feel like giving up. I like to quote an excerpt from “Desiderata”, found in Old St. Paul’s Church of Baltimore, Md in the 17th c. “If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always, there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans”
Stay on course, believe in what you do and stay connected to your feelings and you will know where to find your individual “aesthetic path”. The art will flow out effortlessly because it is coming from a place that has meaning and purpose. The commercial aspect must be secondary to the creation of works of art that have value measured in artistic integrity and truth.
