We are all looking to emulate someone, in some way. As we all know, everything is a remix. And when we are trying to create something new, we may look back on those artists or that certain piece of art and think how it inspires us or how it is influencing what we’re working on now.
But maybe we should also be thinking about all those things which have nothing to do with art that continue to creep into our work.
While we want to think that there was some mysterious, almost spiritual force that pushed us into becoming artists, if you think about it hard enough you can probably trace it to someone or something that got under your skin when you were young — and often times it’s not a famous author or painter or a stunning photograph. It’s the death of a loved one or an amazing trip when you were a child. It could be a random conversation you overheard or a striking image from the nightly news.
There is something that created the spark that keeps you going when you can’t see the end of the tunnel and you are battling self-doubt. Something that makes it so important that you keep hammering away at your projects to make them exactly how they need to be. You should always make sure that your work still contains that same sense of wonder and excitement.
Art is often a way for us to process life – we create to better understand the world around us. There may be traces of other artists and classics and certain genres in what you’re working on, but it is also undeniably a personal work. Remember that this is not just a new creation, but it’s also a reflection on your past and a culmination of everything that has brought you to this point.
