BEGIN SIMPLE

The first step is always the hardest. Whether it is making the first stroke of a brush on an empty canvas or writing the first sentence in a brand new journal. Beginnings are downright difficult. But it is always just a matter of beginning. 

An important part of being creative is the ability to edit things down first. There are so many wonderful resources in our world (real and virtual) from which to gain knowledge and inspiration–and hundreds of thousands of creative people to use as role models.  This wealth of visual bounty can be overwhelming and daunting to the artist.  But it is also cause for celebration.

So how does one begin to make art when there is so much out there that has already been done? With so many choices, where does one start?  Clean a space and then go for it.  In other words, edit out whatever is extraneous, start simple and build it up as you go. Keep at it.  As long as it takes. Or as artist Mary Judge said in a recent lecture (and I am paraphrasing her), “You really only need one idea; you just need to go deep with it.”

For additional insights into how to begin any creative work, I recommend Anne Lamott’s book “Bird by Bird” or Natalie Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones.” Both books deal with creativity in a joyful and common-sense manner.

To see some incredible artwork utilizing simple materials and ideas that have been built upon ad infinitum, you might check out Leonardo Drew (love his massive expanses of rust within a wooden grid), Jean Shin (look at the umbrella series and the cut-off pant legs), Tara Donovan (straws and papercup clouds) and Vic Muniz, (especially “pictures from junk” series and the portrait collages made from magazine hole punch dots). Their work always inspires me and sends me over the moon. I love the way they accumulate and build-up simple objects into massively large and complex topographical universes. Begin simple, then move into complexity by adding, building and accumulating. One thing leads to another, and another, and another—and then you have it.

Less may be more, but MORE is certainly a lot more interesting!

Content and photos copyright 2007 by Janet Towbin.