I had several reviews of my work recently - and that process (opening one self up for being seen and commented on) threw me for a loop - so to speak - the way I see myself and my work is much different than how others see it and experience me.  I suspect,  most people see themselves and their work in a different way than the world sees it - and every so often, it’s good to get feedback - even if that feedback does nothing but throw you back on yourself - as it did for me.

I suspect that most guidance and direction really needs to come from “within” - that even well meaning people, often give the feedback and criticism from the prospective of what “they” would do, what they “like” but what an artist needs to do is filter that feedback, and decide, by going “within” what is right for that person.

I believe the best teacher is oneself - one’s own inner self - and feedback that comes externally will only be valuable as it echos in one’s inner voice.   Perhaps, the best thing to be said from external critiques and schools of art, is that the refine your technique and perception, perhaps also helping in forming social networks and communities the artist can draw on later - but one’s inner voice is where the real seat of wisdom lies - and that can’t from from anyone else, but you (me) - at least, for me it’s that way.

I also ended a friendship, more or less, last week, and that was and has been painful for me, but I’m getting over it (and who knows if anything really ever ends?).

At any rate, here’s a new work, something I did yesterday, did it differently, taped two sheets of paper on the wall and I’m not really sure if it’s really done - or if it even matters.   I just want to have fun with it - and maybe, that’s more what I need to do anyway:

I’m not really sure what I’m painting - but I know I need to do something beyond what I have been - just don’t know what. 

I guess that’s the challenge for Artists in this 20th and 21st Centuries that’s somewhat different than the past - there really is no established path, and in fact, no real “social need” for Art - and yet, there’s still Art.

Why?   I don’t know, perhaps it’s a fundamental need of ours to create - to comment on our lives and what we think of it all.

As I wrote recently in Webmetricsguru.com about Interesting post on the value of Blogging and the difference between internal valuation and external valuation; the value of Artwork is determined by at least two factors:

1. Your own self valuation
2. Valuation of Art Authorities, Museum Curators, Communities

At the end of the day, Artists need to believe in themselves and their own vision - and all work, I believe, should be done out of self development, self growth and not for money - money really should not be part of the equation - not for doing the work.

On the other hand, the value of work we do is determined by externals, by supply and demand and fundamentally, by what communities of influentials believe your work is worth - and while the Art Market can be, and has often been gamed in the short run, in the long run, it can not be - as time shows a truer picture of what’s really valuable (to the world) and what’s not. 

And all of that - involves community and Social Networks of influentials - there’s no way around it - it’s an ecosystem one can’t really avoid - might as well embrace it.  

Someday, I’ll write a book on this, but I’m not ready yet - the ideas are still forming in my mind, as I write.