If You Were A Piece Of Art, Would You Be Resolved?

Take Pen to Paper: Edition 99

Aug 15, 2024

Greetings Readers!

On a recent visit to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, I gained a new appreciation of what I am learning in my art lessons. I apply what I learn to my art and my life.

In the first room of the museum we walked in was a display of modern and contemporary art. My eyes were immediately drawn to a painting directly across from the door. I was surprised to learn it was a Picasso (here’s a link to the painting). I was looking at a Picasso in person!

Thanks to my art lessons, my first thought was, how did Picasso know this piece was resolved and ready to share with the world?

In this newsletter:

Resolved as an adjective.
Learning to judge when my art is resolved.
Being resolved as the person you want to be.

What ‘resolved’ means in art.

‘Resolved’ has many meanings. In art, ‘resolved’ means that a work is finished and ready to be displayed. The artist determines this.

When you are not an artist and have little art training, it can be difficult to know if a piece you’re working on is resolved. Does the piece convey the message you want? Does it reflect your vision?

My art instructor always says you will know when your piece is resolved. If you feel it is not, you can always go back and add to the piece or start over.

At first, I just wanted my art to look like the instructor’s. It rarely did. That’s the wrong goal in art. You should want it to look like how you want it to look. It’s a matter of self-expression and perception. You are not trying to please anyone besides yourself unless, perhaps, you have a benefactor who financially supports your artistic endeavors.

After 18 months of lessons, I completed one watercolor, which I felt was resolved. The remainder of my pieces need more work.

How I decide whether my art is resolved.

I’m just finishing a series of classes on abstracts, which has really stretched and tested my ability to determine resolution.

Look at any abstract. How did the artist know when to stop and, in some cases, where to start? When I look at some abstracts, I’m puzzled because I don’t comprehend them. Then I look at others and see beauty.

My grandmother studied art and painted abstracts, some more abstract than others. I have three of her abstracts hanging in my house, and my son has one. Most of these paintings hung in my grandmother’s house during her adult life.

Take a look and see what you think:

Paintings by M. L. Sims, Photos by S.G.S. Abel

My art instructor talks about leaving a piece for days or even months before deciding if they are resolved.

Two weeks ago, in art class, we played with shapes and patterns to create abstract pieces. When I left them in class for the week to dry, I thought one was resolved. But I also wondered if I would feel the same when I returned after a week and reflected on how they looked.

I don’t think my art is as good as my grandmother’s, I certainly don’t have the training she had, but I’m beginning to learn how to determine if a piece I do is resolved. Now, part of my reflection includes whether I would hang the picture on a wall in my house.

When I looked at my four abstracts, I realized that I was pretty sure one was resolved and not the one I had initially thought. Two of the pieces definitely need work or may never be resolved.

Aren’t we, as individuals, a work of art to be resolved?

All of this thought about art made me think about how we are always trying to be better versions of ourselves.

Humans are works of art. It’s so much more than Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man showing the proportions of the human form. Think of all that goes into making us each a unique being, physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially.

When we are young, we copy others in an effort to belong and find what works for us. As we mature, we see the value of being ourselves.

How do we know when we are resolved as a person? Do we ever become settled with who we are?

I don’t know the answer to these questions. Reflection helps. When we reflect on our past, yesterday or years ago, it helps us decide if we are the person we want to hang around. We can work on and change what we don’t like. The opportunity to reflect is one reason I like journaling.

I don’t think I want to be resolved. I feel like there is so much I do not know about myself and so many ways I can become a better person.

I think I’ll be reflecting on my paintings for a while. They are pictured as I painted them, but they could be oriented in any direction; they’re abstracts!

7 Days, 7 Thoughts on Gratitude and Good:

It’s good to view art. You don’t have to be an artist to appreciate art.
If you don’t have a museum near you, check out this list of places where you can see art in person.
I’m grateful for my growth mindset and desire to learn.
Do you want to know more about the Vitruvian Man? Check out this article.
A quote: "There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self." – Aldous Huxley
I enjoyed this short article on recognizing personal growth through the eyes of others.
I’m grateful for my interest in improving myself in all aspects of my life, including my physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being.

Thank you for reading. This week, reflect on whether you feel resolved as the best person you can be.

Until next time,

💚

Susan

Look at my four abstracts. Which do you think are resolved (if any)? Would you hang one on your wall? Leave a comment and let me know. You can’t hurt my feelings. Abstracts may not be your cup of tea. I would love to read what you think.

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