A Burning Passion for Art: 4 Needful Things

Do you want to burn with a passion for art? I do!

I want to share four things that helped inspire me to do art and may help inspire you to do the same.
(For the sake of historical precedent and interest I will use the example of the life and art of Vincent van Gogh. Also, for the sake of convenience I will address the reader as "you".)

Self portrait by Vincent van Gogh. Graphite on paper.

The Four Things Needful:

 1) Get a vision: you need to create within yourself a burning vision to create. Because doing art (consistently) is hard work and if you are not burning with a vision for art then the doing of it will fall away like dead leaves from a tree when the hardships come.

Vincent van Gogh, when he decided to become an artist never once looked back. Rather, he consumed the art of others and constantly wrote to his brother Theo to send him prints of other artists so that he could get ideas and inspiration from them. Vincent especially found inspiration in Millet.

Eventually Vincent moved to Paris to be near the Impressionists and to feed on the collective art-vision.
You may not be able to move to Paris and visit the Musee du Louvre but you can go to the bookstore and library or Internet and feed on the vision and art of others. As you sit near the fire of others you will eventually begin to burn with your own fire.
I suggest reading the letters of Vincent van Gogh; the fire never burns hotter and brighter than in those letters.

2) Get a mentor: find someone who is an artist and ask them to teach you--even if you have to pay for it!
 I have found that even if you don't have much money people are willing to mentor those who are enthusiastic and willing to work hard and listen.

I have a mentor in Adam Grosowsky and after him I plan on finding another. The mentor should be a little better than you, or at least able to give you something you want or need, but are lacking.

Vincent van Gogh found his first mentor in Anton Mauve--his uncle-in-law. Mauve was a Dutch realist painter and a leader in the Hague school of art. He was a big inspiration and influence on Vincent.

Mentors can be found everywhere. Consider taking a workshop or an adult or continuing education course in the medium of your choice--such as oil painting, drawing, etc.

3) Get a routine: I cannot emphasize this one enough! So many potential artists rot on the vine of inactivity because they plan on doing art, they dream of doing art, they talk about doing art, but they do not do art!

Perhaps the single biggest reason for this rot is because they do not establish a routine.

Last summer (2011) I painted a painting everyday. I did this because an hour before sunset everyday I hopped on my bike with my painting kit  and rode down to the river or out to the west Eugene wetlands to catch the light of the sunset. I was driven to do this.
When not chasing the light of the sunset I rose early to paint the sunrise. I had a routine.
 Everyday I rode my bike out to paint en plein-air, in the open air.

"The Large Unconscious Scenery". Oil on wooden panel. Daniel Balter.

Likewise, Vincent van Gogh had a very strong Dutch work ethic and went out to paint everyday that he could--as if it was his job; and it was!

4) Get busy--do it! This one is tied in with the last and I believe it is important for developing a passion for doing art because the more you do art the more you want to do more.
I used to hang my art all over my studio and just looking at what I was making made me want to make more. I used to say, "Babies make more babies."

One way to do art is to be prepared to do art.
In the days of letter writing I often didn't write because I didn't know where were my stamps or envelope or paper. So, I put off writing.

 In the same way if you have to go look for your art materials then you will put off doing art when the urge strikes you.

I always have at hand a pencil or pocket-sized watercolor kit or Altoids tin filled with charcoal so that I can create wherever I am. Being ready means you will do more.

Some of my portable supplies. I carry sharpened pencils in a toothbrush container.

Vincent van Gogh drew everything--carrying with him a bottle of ink and hand-cut reed pen. He also drew with chalk and graphite. When he didn't have money for paint he turned to drawing and he drew and drew and drew.

Landscape by Vincent van Gogh. Reed pen and ink on paper.

 I encourage you to get a pencils or drawing pens at the art supply store and a sketchbook that is a size you can conveniently carry and go draw everything. Set a time and draw for ten minutes. Draw a simple object everyday: a tomato, a bottle cap, a toy soldier. Draw the shapes you see in the clouds, draw the moon or sun or stars. Draw a tree.

"Lamplight". Daniel Balter. Watercolor on paper.

Buy a small watercolor kit and paint these same objects. Anything is grist for the mill--anything closely observed becomes interesting. One night I could not sleep and since I had my watercolor kit within arm's length I painted the nearby lamp. 

Now, my friends, go and draw and paint and create. Draw and paint the world and the world will be thankful and reward you for it.
Go do it!