EXPERIMENTATION = CREATIVITY = ARTIST by Maidy Morhous

I wrote a blog a few years back on why I chose to sculpt using the human form. I was at the time embedded in social critique, political and cultural issues. The resistance to the oppression of socially inscribed narratives and socially dominating practice presented sublimely to the viewer and open to interpretation.

Since that time I continue to experiment and have pushed my artwork in an entirely new non-figurative direction; I must say it is invigorating, and I feel a new sense of freedom of expression in the artwork I am currently exploring. I believe every artist needs to, no must, experiment to get outside their comfort zone with technique; medium, etc…each will play off the other and drive one to new depths of expression!

It is very easy as an artist to become accomplished in a medium, technique and continue to paint, draw, and sculpt in the same style year after year. I believe the he is doing himself a disservice as an artist, for to create is to experiment, and to experiment is to create.

Picasso once said that change and experimentation is what art and being an artist is all about. To master and become comfortable with a given technique is to become not only non-creative but stagnant!

Experimentation is the lifeblood of an artist! Are we to paint what's on the face, what's inside the face, or what's behind it? Picasso wrote. In fact, Picasso had five major periods of work in his life, all distinctly different and I believe he painted and sculpted from all of the above.

It is hard to get out of one’s comfort zone I know, but to do so can be so invigorating!!