The Heart of the Matter

I have been making art for my entire life, but I have gone in and out of how seriously I take the whole thing. At some points I felt like, “eh, this is just this thing that I do that I’m good at, but it won’t lead to anything.” At other points, I have felt like I was put on this planet to make art! For the most part, I have not thought about it in an adequately in-depth way, and I have just historically made art when I felt like it. However, I have recently begun to take my role as an artist in this world much more seriously. Experiencing repeated dating disappointments is what actually led me to start focusing more on my art. So, thank you hot jerks who made me feel not very good about myself! And I’ve been keeping up with a steady art practice for several months now. It’s been grand, and I’d like to share with you a few things I’ve been discovering.

Left: Collage 84, mixed media on paper, 5.5″ x 7.5″ 2023 © Libby Saylor; Right: Collage 73, mixed media on paper, 7.5″ x 11″ 2023 © Libby Saylor

1. Make Art Daily, Or At Least Every Other Day

There are so many artists out in the world who motivate me to keep going. I may not know them personally, but I watch them work and I observe their careers. Unfortunately, I think successful artists do so many things to be successful, but don’t always share their secrets. Artists who grow and achieve success actually make a CRAPLOAD of art! Like, they make a lot, a lot, a lot of art. And when I started taking things more seriously, I realized I just don’t make enough work. It’s also safe to assume that not every work of art generated by an artist is going to be amazing (that’s another thing they don’t tell you). So I might have to create five to ten collages in order to get one really amazing one. Therefore, cranking out work on a regular basis is really important. Because if I make thirty works of art in a year (some years I made nothing!), that leaves me with just a few amazing pieces to share with the world, with galleries, with people who want to see good art. That’s just not enough. So, finding time to create every day is really important.

2. Creative Flow Builds On Itself

I think I used to believe that I had a finite amount of creativity within me. Even now, sometimes I fear that the last good piece of art I made is the last one I’ll ever make. I worry that I just don’t have anything left in me, or that the Goddesses will decide to deny my gift and I will be powerless over their forces (silly Libby, Goddesses don’t work that way!).

However, I have instead been finding that the more I create, the more inspired I get. In a strange way, I’m starting to feel a bit obsessed, but in a good way, like how I felt in college. In college, I was absolutely immersed in creativity, and it became an all-consuming vibe.

Lately, the more focused I become on art, and beauty, and artists, the more evidence of all of that comes into my realm. And then I want to go back to my studio and just create some more. I’m on fire with inspiration and the burn just keeps intensifying. It’s very beautiful and amazing.

Our professors always warned us in art school that making art outside of an institution is completely different. Artists have to be 100% self-motivating since we no longer have professors to impress and peers to share ideas with. Instead, we have adult lives and do adult things that are constantly sucking our creativity dry. It’s tough, and it’s a choice. It’s a commitment, and I never knew I had to make that kind of promise to myself as an artist.

My roommates and I (I’m in the middle) in art school, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, 1998-2002.

4. Believe It Or Not, Practice Really Does Make Perfect

I don’t know if I’ve just been lazy, or instead have just assumed that I’m as good as I can get so why bother improving. But either way, it really is true that the more art I make, the better I get. Duh! Not sure why I resisted that idea for so long, but it’s actually true. When I create regularly, and every day, my focus becomes sharper, and my awareness more heightened. Artists see beauty all the time, and we fundamentally understand the nature of aesthetics. However, it’s still quite difficult to make beautiful things, even with all of the knowledge, talent, and skill of an artist. And I’ve been finding that my work is getting better the more I do it. Because I’ve been super zeroed-in on fine-tuning my process. It’s also forever changing, and by working regularly, I come to realize more clearly what works for me and what doesn’t. I understand what makes a successful collage, and what makes a crappy one. I’m also evolving as a creator, and I can’t evolve if I’m frozen and not making art on a regular basis. Or, perhaps I can, but the process is much slower. But, I do believe there is something to be said for momentum. So keep it going, sister!

I also think I essentially had to admit to my perfect Virgo self that I’m not perfect, and there is always room for improvement. So, working regularly really keeps that ego in check as well!

5. It’s Working

Okay, I really don’t put much stock in this, but I thought I’d share this just to prove a bit of a point. Since I started making my art more intensely over the last few months, I have created what I think is a strong body of work. Or, at least the beginnings of one. And I’ve been pedaling it around, entering my work into competitions, applying to calls for entry, and other things like that. This is nothing new, I’ve been doing this for twenty years, and I usually do get my work shown. However, it doesn’t typically lead to much except a line on my resume. Which is great, but also, meh.

But I have been validated in several ways over the last few weeks and just shipped a few pieces off to a gallery in Connecticut. I also have one piece selected for an inaugural edition of a new publication in the field. To me, this just means that I’m headed in the right direction, so don’t quit now! Keep this momentum going and see what happens. I want to break through to a level I’ve never achieved before. And historically, I’d have momentum, then I’d meet a guy and lose interest in my art (terrible, I know!). But this whole endeavor is so precious to me and I’m feeling much more dedicated to not giving up! I want to see what’s on the other side of all of this. I want to see what happens when I reach a point that I’ve never reached before in terms of dedication.

Thank you all for being my witnesses! Imma hold myself to it, and I’m super fine if you want to hold me to it as well. That’s what friends are for and that’s how we all hold each other up.

What About You?

What are you dedicated to right now? What inspires your creativity? How do you stay motivated, or do you struggle with complacency as well? I can’t wait to hear from you! xo Libby

You can check out my work at https://www.libbysaylor.com/ and follow my art Instagram page @libbysaylor