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| Sheep at the Royal |
The process of showing paintings in a public setting is still pretty new to me. Throughout the years, until recently, there were half-hearted attempts - a juried show here and there, the odd group show, but no concerted effort to "show and sell". But now, it seems to have become part of the creative process.
The return process is even stranger if you don't really have much feedback on your work, which could include objective comments by others, or sales. What direction do you head in next; do you follow your heart and just do whatever you want, or also seek some constructive criticism through additional sources to inform your work.
Working in a vacuum has never been effective for me. Creativity can be a solitary process, or it can be collaborative, or stimulated by the world and others around you - or all of these. Joining a collective was one of my first ways to be in the company of others going through a similar development process (everyone at different stages of course). Having a strong and expressive support network of friends with a wide range of interests also triggers some provocative thought and conversations at times - may even present new directions.
