Stop wishing and start being…
I am consistently surprised by how many people believe that making or learning about art is only for the talented. ‘I wish I could draw’ or ‘I am not talented enough’ is probably the most common declaration. Perhaps these are throw away comments, but the teacher in me cannot help but listen more deeply and wonder whether an opportunity was missed or, worse still, a dream not realised.
Let me challenge that thinking and ask: What if you are an artist already?
Art depends on skills which can be taught and does not demand talent as a prerequisite. From the traditional conventions of drawing, painting and sculpture to contemporary performance art, these expressive methods can be learnt. Researchers at University College, London found that it comes down to practice, persistence and confidence: ‘Most people probably don’t become proficient because they don’t practice enough, and also they are put off by early failure’ (Chamberlain et al, 2009).
Many of us can remember the feeling of being intimidated by the ‘talented’ one in the art class, who could quickly produce a life-like drawing of any subject matter thrown in front of them. It is hard not to be put off by those memories each time as you muster up the courage to draw or paint, but those abilities were not obtained without practice, persistence and confidence. Once you accept these characteristics, art presents us with our individuality and teaches us the uniqueness of what we create. Sounds easy? No, but art is not supposed to be easy. Like life, it can get complicated - and that is its beauty. I used to wonder if Pollock was just frustrated when he flipped the lid on a can of house paint. At times I, too, have felt this frustration and wished for the discipline of Da Vinci, the persistence of Picasso and the confidence of Gustave Corbet.
As children we all started with inherent creative ability (Runco, 1996) - which happens to be the main ingredient. Children naturally explore their lived experience abstractly with paint, crayons and sometimes walls and other surfaces (to the shock of their newest art critics, their parents). This hunger to explore the world is natural and activities such as finger painting are not just an opportunity to pass the time, they are crucial to our cognitive and social development (Efland, 2002). It provides a basis on which they think, discover, imagine and question the very nature of their existence. The arts stimulate parts of the brain that no other discipline can and Efland argues that art is not a frivolous expenditure of classroom time, but a necessary human function.
Art is about rediscovering wonder and instilling the confidence within that we had as young children. Pablo Picasso, one of the most significant 20th century artists who revolutionised modern art, left us with this truth: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
We love to share with you the art works of our young people. At our Art and Design Exhibition, we are present artworks and design projects of students from Years 7 to 10. The exhibition is on display for two weeks in the Astra Foyer. Later in the year we will also be exhibiting the major works of our senior students. I hope you find some time to visit our art exhibitions and that you may find inspiration in rediscovering your inner artist, as well celebrating the accomplishment of our students who have demonstrated practice, persistence and confidence.
Mr Kim Marcovitch
Head of Visual Arts