Harley Brown's Fascinating Things No One Else Will Tell You
International Artist|October/November 2018

Harley Brown's fascinating things no one else will tell you.

Harley Brown's Fascinating Things No One Else Will Tell You

Is there a real downside to art? Not that I can think of. In my art life, I’ve learned through difficult moments; they’re part of the creative world. My obsessions got more intense with each year. I didn’t mind that the days and weeks seemed to get shorter when I got wildly into my pastels and pencils. And now, well, the past two decades have flown by like Captain Marvel on steroids.

Believe me, when you find your way, it will be like no one else’s. You’re making your personal path through the tangled forest of existence. Bravo!

By good fortune, I never tried to be “better” than other artists. I’ve simply wanted to be better than I was last year. Rating myself with myself.

I’ve never tried for perfection in art; that’s not in my thoughts. In art, I don’t understand “perfect.” Who does?

You bring in the observers’ eyes with your artwork’s design. That’s when they come closer for your personal strokes and colour. In the same way, a simple, intriguing plot leads to something quite compelling. Going against the grain for its own sake is surface sanding. Don’t let even a fragment of jealously creep into your thoughts. It can dullen your hard-earned strengths.

Unless you’re a camera, it’s quite impossible to actually duplicate. That’s one of the joys of being human. Remember that. If my art makes others happy, that’s well and good. I do my art to give myself joy and it surely does. When I’m painting, I have a bond between me and my subject that can be found nowhere else. “Trying” to be creative can steal its purpose. Your creativity will grab and then help lead you. You may even begin to appreciate its arrogant nature.

This story is from the October/November 2018 edition of International Artist.

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This story is from the October/November 2018 edition of International Artist.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

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