Working in a Collection – Unlocking Artistic Potential for Inventive Development

Have you ever ever discovered your self caught within the limbo of inventive indecision, not sure of what to color subsequent? Or maybe you’ve grappled with the concern of creating errors and find yourself not portray in any respect?? If these challenges resonate with you, then diving into the world of working in a collection would possibly simply be the method your creative soul wants.

Because the theme for June in my IGNITE! Membership, it was aaaamazing how this concept of working in a collection introduced forth a mass of effort and fabulous work from members!

So let’s take a look at what this all means. (You’ll see work from my Scissors collection scattered by means of the put up, illustrating the thought of working in a collection.)

Working in a series: Gail Sibley, "Scissors 1 - Splayed, "Unison Colour pastels on UART 400, 6 x 11 in. — Gail Sibley, “Scissors 1 – Splayed,” Unison Color pastels on UART 400, 6 x 11 in.

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Exploring the Artwork of Working in a Collection

The idea of working in a collection entails a profound creative journey—a voyage that transcends the creation of standalone artworks. It revolves across the improvement of a set of work that share a standard thematic thread and that construct one on prime of the opposite, shifting from one to the following inside an undefined timeframe.

In essence, it’s a pilgrimage of discovery that unfolds over time. In contrast to the fleeting exploration of a single piece, working in a collection lets you delve deeper into your chosen matter, exploring its aspects and nuances comprehensively.

Working in a series: Gail Sibley, "Scissors 2 - Wide Open," Unison Colour pastels on UART 280, 6 x 11 in. — Gail Sibley, “Scissors 2 – Vast Open,” Unison Color pastels on UART 280, 6 x 11 in.

Crucially, there’s no predetermined amount of items, nor a inflexible timetable to information the method. And the choice to conclude a collection is rooted in your intuitive sense of completeness—a fruits of exploration, power, and fervour.

A collection, basically, ought to kind a visible narrative when seen collectively, with each bit complementing the others. This cohesiveness will allow you to articulate and convey the essence of your exploration with readability and conviction.

It’s important, nonetheless, to make clear misconceptions. A collection shouldn’t be confused with recurring themes inside an artist’s physique of labor. Themes like my Gallery Goers and Canine Walkers are distinct from a collection in that they don’t coexist inside a singular timeframe nor do they construct on one another. A collection thrives on continuity and development, with every portray constructing upon its predecessor, even when subtly.

Gail Sibley, "Facing Fragonard (Gallery Goers series)," Unison Colour pastels on UART 500, 10 x 10 in. Available. $625. — Gail Sibley, “Going through Fragonard (Gallery Goers collection),” Unison Color pastels on UART 500, 10 x 10 in. Available at Peninsula Gallery.

Paint Anything With This Set of Soft Pastels: Gail Sibley, "In Unison" (Dog Walker series), Unison Colour pastels on UART 400, 7 x 7 in. — Gail Sibley, “In Unison” (Canine Walker collection), Unison Color pastels on UART 400, 7 x 7 in. Available at Peninsula Gallery https://www.pengal.com/artists/gail-sibley/artwork/view/5136/in-unison

Lastly, it’s essential to emphasise that working in a collection shouldn’t be synonymous with production-driven work. Whereas it could yield a list of artworks, the first focus stays on experimentation and the inventive course of. The eventual consequence could certainly yield items appropriate on the market, however this isn’t the principal intent of embarking on a collection—it’s all about nurturing creative development and exploration. And getting you portray!

Working in a series: Gail Sibley, "Scissors 3 - At the Ready," Unison Colour pastels on UART 600, 8 3/4 x 6 in. — Gail Sibley, “Scissors 3 – On the Prepared,” Unison Color pastels on UART 600, 8 3/4 x 6 in.

The Bounty of Advantages

Path Amidst Doubt: One of many speedy advantages of working in a collection is the eradication of the query, “What ought to I paint subsequent?” As an alternative, you’ll greet your self by the thrilling problem of “How am I going to color that?” This shift empowers you to get portray relatively than spending time wallowing in inventive uncertainty!
Motivated Momentum: The anticipation of uncovering new potentialities inside your collection fuels your motivation to step into the studio every day. With a transparent sense of goal, distractions and procrastination fade into the background.
Escaping Artistic Stagnation: If you end up caught whereas engaged on a bit, transfer on to the following one within the collection. Transitioning to the following art work not solely renews your inventive movement but in addition encourages you to dig deeper, exploring the emotional essence of your material.
Depth and Discovery: Whereas a single portray would possibly seize preliminary impressions, working in a collection allows you to go deeper, unearthing layers of that means in addition to new visible potentialities. Every bit builds upon the final, revealing new insights about your chosen theme.

Working in a series: Gail Sibley, "Scissors 4 - Dressed in Yellow," Unison Colour pastels on UART 800, 6 x 10 in — Gail Sibley, “Scissors 4 – Wearing Yellow,” Unison Color pastels on UART 800, 6 x 10 in

Restriction Compels Exploration: Counterintuitively, the constraint of a collection liberates your creativity. Targeted exploration lets you experiment with completely different views, compositions, colors, mark-making, and interpretations, all of the whereas fostering creative development.
A Manner for Development: The extra you paint, the extra you study. Each stroke provides to your creative journey. The collection turns into a fertile floor for breakthroughs, the place every art work serves as a stepping stone in the direction of enchancment. As you have interaction within the course of, your expertise, confidence, and understanding of self evolve.
Energy in Numbers: When displayed collectively, the artworks inside a collection amplify their collective impression. Every bit in a collection informs the opposite and so provides extra that means to it. Principally what you have got is power in numbers – an unexpected profit to work in a collection. The visible cohesion communicates dedication, self-discipline, and focus. This unity not solely enhances your creative narrative and readability but in addition aids in presenting your work to galleries and committees.

Working in a series: Gail Sibley, "Scissors 5 - All in Red," Unison Colour pastels on UART 600, 6 x 10 in. — Gail Sibley, “Scissors 5 – All in Crimson,” Unison Color pastels on UART 600, 6 x 10 in.

Overcoming Perfectionism: Engaged on a single portray can typically overwhelm from self-imposed strain to realize perfection. This will result in concern and in the end, to avoidance of your studio! In distinction, portray in a collection liberates us, providing the liberty to specific, make errors, experiment, and concentrate on the creative course of relatively than the outcome. It gives respite from the unrealistic expectation of making a masterpiece every time we go to the easel, acknowledging that disappointments are a part of the creative journey.

Unveiling Your Distinctive Inventive Voice: Working in a collection engenders a profound self-discovery journey the place your distinctive creative voice thrives and turns into extra pronounced.

Working in a series: Gail Sibley, "Scissors 6 - Green On Pink," Unison Colour pastels on UART 800, 5 1/4 x 10 in. — Gail Sibley, “Scissors 6 – Inexperienced On Pink,” Unison Color pastels on UART 800, 5 1/4 x 10 in.

Embrace Freedom, Embrace Development

In the end, working in a collection is a testomony to your dedication to development and exploration. It’s an invite to immerse your self absolutely, to evolve alongside your creations, and to expertise the profound rewards of a creative journey nicely and really explored.

So, whether or not you’re searching for to flee the uncertainty of “what’s subsequent” or silence your inside critic, the observe of working in a collection affords a transparent path towards creative transformation. Working in a collection is my favorite approach of getting out of an artwork hunch!

Have you ever labored in a collection? I’d like to know what your topic was and likewise, what was the principle factor you realized from doing it.

And in case you’ve by no means thought of working in a collection, are you impressed to start out a challenge? Do let me know!

Till subsequent time!

~ Gail

PS. You’ll see items from my Scissors collection scattered all through the put up. They have been all painted from life. The primary three have been about altering the positioning of the pair of scissors in relation to me in addition to of their opening. The subsequent three are extra about how colors mirrored within the shiny metallic. Initially, I used to be impressed by a Diebenkorn painting of scissors that I’d come throughout.