Subject Variety
from Colley Whisson
Each painting, driven by motivation and excitement, contributes meaningfully to an artist's journey, with the emphasis on producing strong and satisfying work. By embracing variety in their subjects, artists keep their art fresh and captivating, reflecting their passion and dedication in their finished pieces.
Colley likes to remind his students about the importance of diversifying our subject matter. While there's a common belief in mastering a single subject through repetition, such as landscapes, to develop automatic responses, Colley encourages another approach. Instead, his favorite thing to do is to jump from one subject to another. Diverse subject matter presents opportunities to explore a wide array of themes, emotions, and techniques, preventing artistic stagnation and facilitating growth in each of us.
“Conquering a challenging and unfamiliar subject can drive our creative process and ultimately lead to some of our most remarkable work”
Colley has found that painting too extensively within a particular area or subject leads to boredom and diminishes his motivation. He thrives on the challenge of transitioning from one concept to another, finding it is a good way to incorporate more intellectual stimulation in our artistic journey. This constant change fosters growth and makes painting a more dynamic pursuit. By embracing variety, we can avoid the weariness and monotony that arise from repetitive scenes. Colley actually stopped painting beaches for about two years, as he found them uninteresting and mentally draining from painting them too often. This is a large weight to carry and a good sign that you probably need to diversify your subject matter.
Colley is always thinking about where his motivation and excitement are lying. He normally finds, and wants to find it, from the scene and subject. He has found that maintaining a diverse library of references ensures a wealth of inspiration, particularly when circumstances prevent us to go to physical locations. Conquering a challenging and unfamiliar subject can drive our creative process and ultimately lead to some of our most remarkable work. Fueled by motivation and excitement, each painting becomes a meaningful contribution to your artistic journey. We want to give the highest level of effort to whatever our subject is. Each painting contributes to the overall body of work, and striving for a masterpiece is not as important as producing strong and satisfying work. This often comes from an unfamiliar, possibly challenging, subject matter.
Mixing things up with different subjects and scenes keeps things fresh for us as artists, pushing us out of our comfort zones and into new territory. It's like adding spice to a dish—it adds richness to a body of work, letting us convey a whole range of emotions, ideas, and experiences. So, by embracing this variety, we keep our art lively and captivating. Our excitement and passion will speak loudly in our finished piece.
Colley Whisson's online presence provides a wealth of opportunities for artists of all levels to elevate their craft and unleash their creative potential. Join Colley below: