Emotions and Artistic Experimentation in Art

Okay, let’s start with how great it feels to be covered from head to toe with pastel or charcoal dust! How much fun it is to sport the latest splattered paint tattoos, and how shopping for graphite pencils is so much more exciting than buying new shoes. Are you beginning to see my point? Well, I can’t speak for all artists, but you just got a glimpse into this artist’s mind. I will take designer paint brushes over designer clothes any day!

Stereotypically, when people think of artists they think of tortured and depressed souls or people struggling with mental illness. They believe “mad scientist” artists are the most creative. Just look at Van Gogh!

Good news...this is the furthest thing from the truth. According to Psychology Today, it’s quite the opposite. Artists are actually happier than most of the general population. Are you surprised? This makes perfect sense to me.

When I am creating a piece of art, the house could cave in and there’s a good chance I won’t notice. The words blissful, content and beatific come to mind when describing how I feel when drawing or painting. You can say I go into the zone or I am in the flow. Whichever way you choose to describe it, I believe it is a form of meditation.

Since meditation can increase our levels of feel-good chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin, doesn’t it makes sense that artists are generally happier people? I can create for hours, and not realize that morning has turned to evening until hunger pangs and darkness set in.

Artists don’t wear lab coats and carry around smoking vials of green liquid. However, I believe the term “mad scientist” is a fitting one at times.

Our canvas is our experiment on which we paint, draw, splatter, and dab. Try different techniques while making a mess everywhere but on the canvas, (again, I can only speak for myself) and it can either go horribly wrong or be a huge success.

Artists will agree, artistic experimentation can be an emotional process at times, but this is how we grow and stretch our artistic muscles.

In the end, an artist’s goal is not to just create a product, but a piece that will evoke emotion from all that look at it. Of course not everyone will feel this way, but hopefully there will be enough people who do.

In his day, Vincent Van Gogh was one of the greatest of all the mad-scientists. He was also likely the most influential painter of the 1800’s.

Van Gogh's experimentation of bold color was a unique and joyful way to express emotion and was unprecedented in his day. He paved the way for other artists keen on exploring radical modernism and abstract thinking.

Drastic in style, Vincent's work evolved from the somber-colored naturalistic art; apparent in The Potato Eaters. To bold and impactful, post-impressionistic style paintings; such as Starry Night and Sunflowers.

Van Gogh’s experimentation started when he became intrigued with impressionistic art. He not only mastered impressionism but is known to have pioneered the impasto technique. This is where the paint is layered thick on canvas either with a brush or palette knife. Mastering this technique gives emotion, dimension, and movement to the canvas. Which is apparent is Van Gogh's masterpieces.

Unfortunately, Van Gogh died in poverty and only sold one painting while he was alive, The Red Vinyard. This painting sold for 400 Francs (equal to approximately $1,000 today). in 1890.

In 1990, the painting, Portrait of Dr. Gachet (his most expensive painting) was sold for $82.5 million. Today this painting is worth $154.4 million!

True to Vincent's words, when an artist creates something, he or she does pour their heart and soul into it. They are literally giving away a piece of themselves with every painting they sell. It is a very personal and emotional process. So next time you buy an original painting, think of that artist and how much love has gone into your new treasure.

Who knows you may find the next Vincent Van Gogh!