creating without an audience
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Hi Reader, One of the most remarkable examples in art history is Hilma af Klint. Years before abstract art became associated with artists like Wassily Kandinsky, Hilma af Klint was creating large-scale abstract paintings unlike anything being exhibited at the time. She believed deeply in the work she was making, even though she knew the art world wasn’t ready to understand it. In fact, she requested that much of her work not be shown publicly until decades after her death. Read that one more time: Klint spent years creating ambitious, visionary paintings without the promise of exhibitions, recognition, sales, or even the expectation that her contemporaries would see them. Today, her work is celebrated around the world and has changed our understanding of the history of abstract art. Yes, she eventually became famous but what I connect to most is that she kept making the work long before there was any evidence the world would reward her for it. She wasn’t waiting to be chosen. She was choosing the work. I'm curious: what would you do differently if you "chose the work?" Carrie P.S. I'm in process of writing 5 new articles for the blog and youtube. Two on working from image references, one on Alice Neel, one on how artists use underpaintings, and one on today's topic: what does it mean to choose our art?
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