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art, artist, Beatrice Allen Page, dance, dance art, Emily Page, Emily Page Art, paint, painting, realist art, So You Think You Can Dance, SYTYCD
As a young artist fresh out of college, I was told by multiple galleries that I needed to “pick a style.” Every time I showed them my portfolio, that’s what they told me. My art had too big a range for them to consider me. They didn’t know how to represent me. Having worked in art galleries since then, I understand their point of view. They need to know that I will continue to produce work in a style that sells for them. The problem with this, though, is that it doesn’t suit my personality as a person or an artist. I have too many ideas that make my brain itch and twitch, and there isn’t one style that can encompass all of them. My hands and my brain get bored repeating a single formula in a variety of ways.
This is not to say that there’s not a benefit to being forced to create series of works that can be grouped together. I have found great reward in creating first the Thanatology series, then the dancers, then the works about dementia, and now the realist work. But I like to dip my toes into other art forms and styles periodically to test the water to see what the next new series will be. I also like having the freedom to revisit past series when a new idea comes along, like when I did a the new dancer painting by letting you all “crowd source” each stage. And when you do several pieces in a certain style, you can start to get followers who look for that particular work.
I was watching So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), and it occurred to me that their all-stars must be, in some ways, like me. The fact that they return to the show means that they enjoy dancing outside of their “own styles.” They like to stretch, literally and figuratively. And each new style, each new dance, each new partner helps grow their abilities and add to their repertoire. And so it is with me. For example, taking watercolors along on my trip down the Danube helped me expand my own artistic vocabulary. I have a feeling I’ll return to them periodically, particularly because there are so many more styles to try within that medium. Branching out and illustrating my friend’s children’s book was a new way to stretch for me, and makes me think that I would actually consider someday illustrating the beautiful stories my grandmother wrote for my dad and uncle.
There are just so many possibilities with art.
Sometimes I get overwhelmed by them all, because I want to do everything, make everything. When I see an artist whose work I like, I mentally file the style for use later to express my own ideas. And there just isn’t enough time in the day to work a job, promote the art I’ve already made, and make everything that I want to make. That being said, I’m grateful that I’m living in the technology age, where I’m not dependent upon galleries to represent me in just one style. I can throw everything on my website, SYTYCD style, including the stuff that doesn’t fit neatly into a single body of work. I call that stuff my untamed art. I can promote various styles and subjects through various online venues. But I get bogged down in the tedium of promotion. I just want to create, and I want a fairy godmother who will magically find homes for my creations. Le sigh.
I don’t know many artists that like one style anymore. My favorite artist paints in multiple styles, sings, draws, composes and plays music on many instruments, writes, and we’re going to sculpt together.
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Very cool. Is said artist the new girlfriend?!
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No. But she’s a great artist too. Said artist is my friend who actually made me care about art and music and creating many years ago.
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Will you post pics once you’ve done some sculpting? (Hint: the answer is “yes”)
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I’m waiting to pounce once you stretch into your dogs playing poker phase.
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Just wait until I move into my poker-playing dogs dancing in tutus phase…Be careful what you wish for!
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This reminds me of one of my favorite singers, the late Eva Cassidy. Despite having an amazing voice, she could never land a major record deal, because she chose to sing in a variety of genres and refused to be pigeonholed. As you said, nowadays technology helps artists get their works in front of a wider audience so that you can stay true to yourself.
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I’m not familiar with her, but I’ll definitely check her out now. Any recommendations on where to start?
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Live at Blues Alley is a good place to start.
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Oh, and how silly of me to omit that she was a visual artist as well! I have one of her lovely prints hanging in my living room. http://www.evacassidy.com/bio.htm
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