Creating a piece of art can be many things…
…rewarding, immersive, frustrating and highly satisfying, all at the same time. It can be all of these things (and more) but it’s always a highly personal ride, no matter where you’re at on your art journey. Take cover artist Jenny Aitken. “Art is more than a job,” she says. “It is the thing I think about most of my waking hours.” Landscape artist Lucy Marks (In the Studio, page 14) says that being creative is a gift, “and getting to use that gift every day is something I am very grateful for.” This month’s We Present Portfolio Plus member Gill Bustamante is never happier than when she’s up to her ears in art stu. “I love oil paint. I love the vibrancy, texture and smell of it,” she explains, an expression that many of us can agree with.
Elsewhere in this issue, every page is bursting with ideas and inspiration that will help guide and motivate you. There are step-by-step guides on creating paintings in dierent mediums and styles and in-depth reporting on some of the art world’s most renowned masters, including a piece by the son of legendary American abstract painter Mark Rothko on why we shouldn’t merely focus on his father’s iconic rectangle paintings. “It’s essential we consider his earlier works on their own merits,” he says. “These are works that speak their own language and function in their own aesthetic realm.”
All in all, I hope that after reading this issue, you feel encouraged to roll up your sleeves and paint and draw. After all, it’s like medicine for the mind.