Gallery owner, Michelle Gaugy, introduced novel ideas in her lecture about the evolution of the artist; points that I have personally experienced. She said that a craftsman is invested in the finished product, the object, but an artist is not. The artist creates inspired, unexplained, purposeless art that has become “art for art’s sake”. This might explain why I find it difficult to answer people when they ask me which is my favorite piece. The truth is that I was passionate, obsessed and driven when I was creating them, but I don’t have the same attachment to any of them since they are finished. One woman told me that this attitude was being disrespectful toward my work, but I now understand that it was my true artistic spirit that got lost in the time/space/ecstasy of creation and that passion dissipated when the piece was finished.
Michelle said that in the past when realism was the only art available, everyone looking at a painting had a shared experience. Now art is sometimes esoteric and people don’t understand it. The genius of the artist must be able to be communicated to everyone.
To the surprise of many in the audience, Michelle said that the intention of art is not self-expression, but communication. The artist needs to be in a relationship with a chosen audience. This makes the expression of the artist richer, deeper, and less lonely.
There is also a practical, financial side to being an artist. She referred to that when she said that Rembrandt used to go to auctions and bid his own work up. He had many children to feed! In this lecture, Michelle painted a picture of the artist evolving, forging a relationship with her audience that links past perceptions and future adjustments leading to greater fulfillment for all.
