Tuesday, July 25, 2017

When the Student is Ready....

The journey of an artist takes a lifetime.
This blog post is meant to encourage those who want to improve their skills but just feel as if they have hit a plateau. Let me assure you, we all hit that same plateau. We all come to a point where are work seems to be stagnating at one point and we are not able to work past whatever barrier is in our way. We seek out more classes, more instruction, more books, more online lessons and purchase more supplies. But the answer is not in any of those wonderful solutions. Everyone has a different pace of learning and different way of responding to instruction. We all work past that plateau at different rates of speed and through different Euerka moments. Sometines, a student is just not ready to absorb the material presented in a class. But in time, they will recall the lessons and be able to make sense of things. A light bulb will suddenly turn on and the way past the plateau will appear. As I mulled over the words of this proverb it made more sense to me today than it did years ago when I first came across it. There will come a time in your artistic journey where your skills just come together. They are a culmination of the input from all of your books, instructors, life lessons and inspiring moments. The skills will appear and will work together. I know there is a lot of hard work involved and sometimes the investment of time and treasure seems too much. But your skills will all come together at some point. Your hands will be able to create the artwork that you envision. Keep creating! Keep practicing! Never rush the process! You are exactly where you should be.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh wow. This post is heaven sent. I gave up because I'm still struggling with calligraphy after all these years. I remember one of our best instructors in art school telling us the zen of drawing. We have to draw that pear, that hand, that eye a hundred times before we know how to draw those things.

Metaphysically speaking, it isn't the nature of the thing that changes, it is we who change. I know that on some level but an arthritic hand convinced me that perhaps my window of opportunity with a calligrapher's pen has shut. I accepted that belief just three days ago. What a resurrection. I will try again.

Thank you.

Heather Victoria Held said...

So glad you were encouraged by the post! You put things into words beautifully. It is we who change! Please let me know if I can be of any more encouragement with your calligraphy pen! IBig hug! Heather

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Heather for your insights. I have hit the proverbial "wall" and cannot seem to climb over it. Your words have put things into perspective for me. It seems all I do is write the alphabet over and over and keep seeing my shortcomings. My IAMPETH folders have been pulled out for inspiration as well. Your post is just what I need right now.
Thanks so much and sending you hugs!
Agnes

Heather Victoria Held said...

I am glad the post was helpful Agnes! I hope you find some inspiration in the IAMPETH folders. Big hug! Heather