contemporary collage paintings
the process
Leslie Avon Miller

My life flows when I'm in my art.


Jean De Muzio

Monday, December 8, 2008

Creativity, Artistry and Curiosity


These are attributes of some of the most interesting people I know. They are also attributes I nurture in myself. I love to play with my art supplies and tools, and find out what might happen. I mix paint colors. Sometimes I am shocked by what turns up on my little mixing plate. Some times it’s so good I have to quickly jot down the formula in a note book. Now, when I see a great color in someone else’s work, I may even be able to guess how they got that color. I might pick up something from my work table, like waxed paper covered with paint and plunk it on top of something else. I might like it. This summer I did a lot of nature printing. I used tissue paper between the brayer and the material I was printing. I had already used that tissue paper to pick up excess paint. I ended up with a print I really liked. Accident. Randomness. Paying attention to what happens. Following the vein of curiosity. The more curious you are, the more curious you become. I would enjoy hearing about where curious experimentation may have taken you and your art.

4 comments:

  1. I too love to experiment and see where the creative journey takes me. When I create collages pieced together from magazine images the same thing happens as you've described. It pulls together in unexpected ways often revealing something inside. Your collages are wonderful - I love the colors, the impressions made of natural elements and you have a very good composition.

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  2. Thank you Kathryn. Experimentation and curiosity lead to a lot of fun! I peeked at your work on your blog, and I can see that you are having a lot of fun! I love architectural elements too. There is something about the lines that is intriguing. I like the birds in your work as well. Thanks for visiting.

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  3. Hey Leslie! - is that snow I see? - how fun is that - love the pic of the collage on your sidebar! - you are definitely a kindred spirit in your asethitic and art practice - I'm all about the 'what if?" - when I read your profile I had to laugh, because it is the same statement I have in my artist statement - what are the odds?! - after the holidays, we need an art date!

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  4. Hi Jeane:

    Yes, it’s snowing at “textures shapes and color”. I loved it. As you know, living in the Northwest we tend to get our precipitation in the liquid form. My blog technical advisor, nephew Drew, warns me against too many “features”, but I love the white against the gray, and hey, it won’t cause any difficult driving for anyone. The snow will melt after the holiday.
    Curiosity is a great attribute. I am going interview some artists in the coming year for the blog, and hope to ask them about the benefit of curiosity to their creativity. Stay tuned! As to a get together I would love to. Maybe it is time for me to have an open studio day, even if the studio space is not finished. However, the space is large, and has lights and heat. I am working in there now in a temporary way, on plywood over saw horses. And there is no problem if I spill paint!

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