by Greg Busceme, Sr.
Executive Director of The Art Studio, Inc.
NOT ART. That is what was on a large rubber stamp wielded by a professor of art history many years ago when attended Lamar Univ. No one ever wanted that brand to be labeled on their work, especially me! I was a non-art major (Speech major) and without the backing of a forma art education. It took some catching up for me to understand the idea of self-critical review. With that sword of Damocles hanging over the art students’ heads we became seriously introspective. At first, our imposed self-review was awkward, but eventually you will become honest with yourself. Practice makes our work closer to what we envision, but those steps can be incremental. The important thing is not to give up. The only thing that will destroy your art career is giving up. I did. I am still working to get where I was before I stopped. I will never question my purpose in art. I learned a lot about self-critique. I listened to people rather than talking. Read art magazines that have reviews of artists’ work and glean from those articles what they were seeing or not seeing. Look at the pictures! I entered grad school with a minimum of art history courses. A survey course was a good boost to my general understanding of art and its evolution in human history. Any student of art needs to understand the process of how we got here and a good understanding of all the movements and styles that influence our work today- whether we know it or not. We are the product of all that came before us.
I am addressing our young and upcoming creators. Art is not created in a vacuum, it is derived, mostly, from the mind, hands, and heart of the creator. Art history, recent and past, is the other influence that affects the artist’s decisions. We must immerse ourselves in the arts of the past and the present. Walk through museums and visit galleries, page through art magazines and history books, find and build a portfolio of artists’ works that speaks to you and read about their lives. Don’t worry about “tainting “ yourself with images that may influence you. All artists have a favorite artist or person that influences them or inspires them. Find your muse! Your work will be a unique amalgam of all that you experience, know, and admire. Your life experience will always shine through. Remember: don’t give up.
Remember: don’t give up.