I started this blog in mid-March, with hopes of posting my first art piece in April. New art once a month, balanced with a short story every other week? That seemed doable. I should have known that, even when I think my plans aren’t too ambitious, life has a way of ramping up the challenge.
I know my art is imperfect.
As part of learning to embrace that, I dared myself to share it. Except I still couldn’t figure out exactly how to do that. It’s not as simple as showcasing paintings, sculptures, or murals. I can’t quite drop snippets of sketches or a portfolio of photographs. My art process feels messy and complicated and very much amateur–but it is my art. More importantly, is another way of learning to express and embrace myself.
So, what even is my art? I do paint things, yes. I sketch. I draw. Then I take a picture (or several) and then I keep working on the image. Sometimes I start with a picture I’ve taken–outdoors, in my living room, wherever–but t doesn’t change that there’s more work for me to do. Enhancing highlights, redefining shadows, editing in contrasts and sculpting definitions and sampling saturations. In this iterative process, I gradually get closer to the taste of what I’m trying to portray.
I like my writing to leave a taste in the reader’s mouth, and I like my artwork to linger with the viewer long after they look away. Just like my writing, I don’t always know where my art projects will lead. That’s okay. Sometimes I feel so much that it’s impossible to write–and sometimes I feel so much that it’s impossible not to write. My art pieces are often an attempt to draw out the wordlessness; inevitably, they inspire more words. A bit of a reciprocal relationship there, which means I’ll never have want of material.
I’m pleased to say I’ll have art for you soon. I am far more confident in my creative non-fiction–what could easily be considered memoir–than in nearly any other form of my writing. That being said, some of my posts will draw further from that reflective vein. While I will add works to a general gallery, I’ll also be sharing some of the stories behind these pieces. Progress of my adventures–will be on Instagram, so feel free to follow @vhweirdink and get an even closer look at my adventures in art and writing!
V. H. King's Ink 