The Nine Muses- Polyhymnia

The Nine Muses- Polyhymnia.  Oil on Canvas.  March 2016.  40"x30"

What does it mean to be an artist?  This is a question I often find asking myself as well as my students.  Does the creation of an object make you an artist?  Or is it the idea that transforms something into a work of art? 

These are the thoughts I am exploring in my current series of work, titled “The Nine Muses.” In Greek mythology “The Muses” are the source of inspiration to poets, dramatists, authors, and artists.  I wanted to create a series of work whose inspiration came from derivative sources to investigate the notion of creating work without concept. I chose to explore color by number paintings and coloring books.  Both of these allow someone to take on the role of an artist through the completion of a work, but without the insertion of their own creative thought.

The progression of producing my own work using these tools allowed me to explore the idea of concept versus creation.  In the end, have I simply created a painting or have I transformed these images a work of art?