I think no matter where you are in your journey, it's important to look at where you have been. This can apply to everyone and anyone regardless of your goals or career path. As an artist, sometimes you need to go through the photo album of your creative path and find yourself once again. That's not to say that I don't know myself now, but for me, it's more of a purposeful re-adventure.
It is easy to get way ahead of yourself if you are driven to define yourself and, to me, defining myself, my voice, my art, is a process of taking two steps forward and one step back. I forget the history of how I got to where I am. I'm a visual person and I need to see my story in front of my eyes. That's how I can better evaluate, analyze and direct myself to move forward.
With each new goal I reach as an artist, it's important for me to re-visit the journey because it not only inspires me to move forward, strive harder to reach a new goal, but it also reconnects me with the imagery and techniques that I enjoyed working with earlier on that journey. Of course I am always looking for ways to repurpose my art and I might find opportunities checking the archives, but it is also a way for me to blend the past with the present to create the future.
Our art is always continually evolving, but we can learn so much about ourselves from the history. Take a moment to look back at the art you have created so far on your journey and ask yourself these questions:
1. What inspired me to create this?
2. What tools did I enjoy working with at that time?
3. What components inspire me now and how can I incorporate those techniques, colors, ideas into my art going forward?
I don't know about you, but I am a work in process and I think I always will be. I encourage you to embrace your work in process, your history, and your dreams to continue taking that journey and working to ensure it is a long one!
Margaret
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