Tuesday 22 November 2011

Heart and Head Fights

The last time I posted I showed you that I was doing some experimenting with acrylic paints, well part of me wishes I had never started. Don't get me wrong I was quite enjoying the painting and I even listed a couple of them in my shop but it's led to a dilemma in my head - you see I realise when I paint lighter, cuter work more people 'like' it- more views etc and my head says to me if you created more upbeat whimsical paintings you could maybe sell more.

But my heart says no. What I really want to do is draw girls with sad eyes and smiles at the edges of their mouths, little bursts of emotion that come right from inside me - like the moments when you've been sobbing and someone makes you laugh through your tears.

I've been down this road many times, the road that says do what you love, even if only a tiny amount of people love it too. But the lane off this road that I wander down through my head says create to sell. So what am I - an artist that creates from my heart or someone who wants to one day create a business using my head. I wish I could make up my mind, or my heart.



8 comments:

  1. Hi Yvonne ;o) First of all, you know I love your art and the reason I think I love it so much, is the emotion you put into it. I have been always told, paint from your heart, because that's where your passion is. Once you change that, something is lost. But, I totally understand what you mean. So many people love my baby crows, but I love doing abstract and my adult crows. Now, I have a happy medium, if I want to paint my babies I do, if I want to paint the other's I do, but I always paint from heart. One time, I got fustrated and stopped painting from my heart and my art wasn't the same. I to would love to do this for a living and I know one day I will ;o) Keep you dream alive Yvonne ;o)

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  2. By the way, I love the new ones you just made!!!

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  3. Hi Stacy, thank you for the encouragement and advice, it's much appreciated. It sounds like you have a perfect balance, your baby crows are really cute and I love your more expressive work like The Goddesses - I'd like to get there too and think it might just take a bit more time, I'll keep going with the painting but will try to put more of me into it so I feel a bit happier about it all xx

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  4. Yvonne I so understand what you mean. But it is strange to read you write this because in my view you have such a consistent style, in whichever medium! And I love your style, follow you faithfully, also if you stray a bit ;)

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  5. Hi Pia, thank you for your comments, it's comforting to read that you do view my style as consistent. I've been trying not to think about it too much and go with the flow, but every now and again some doubts creep in. I'm glad you like my style and my straying ;0) x

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  6. Hi Yvonne,when I read this it is like you have read my mind because I too struggle with the same concerns.I love your'sad eyed girls' and when you started your new shop coramantic could see that you found your true style.I think it's a harder road to take if you follow your own little map but so much more rewarding in the end.I've been thinking about this a lot lately and decided that if some of my work appeals to less people but I really believe in it,then it's a case of seeking out that smaller audience.
    Sorry about the essay :D
    Actually from a business point of view have you looked at spoonflower because your illustrations would look wonderful on fabric and it might be a way to link your sewing talents too?Cassandraxx

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  7. Cassandra, I've just seen this post as just went into my coramantic email for the first time in ages(bad I know!)- I tend just to check the most recent post for comments on my blog :0/
    Thank you for your advice, I think I know what you mean about it being more rewarding by following your own map, it's sometimes easy to wander off the path a bit, but when people do like your work you feel like it's part of you. When I look at your work it always looks like you have a clear, confident direction. I'll go and check out spoonflower, I do sometimes miss sewing a little. I've stepped back a little for the time being but I know next month I'll carry on again xx

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