Digital v. traditional art (or a potato peeler with a plastic handle)
Hello! Welcome to my new website
This blog is a behind-the-scenes look at creative practice and what that means for me. I’ll also share tips and recommendations and a little of what’s going on in my work world.
So, where to start?
I thought I’d jump in with something a little unexpected and post a recent watercolour painting. I’m known for working digitally but I also spend a lot of time working in traditional media. I often get the impression that people feel conflict between the two … but I try not to get caught up in notions of what is better or worse, nor which is more ‘worthy’ or requires more skill. As I work in both, my experience is that that kind of thinking really isn’t helpful.
The only factors that need come into play are:
1. What tools/mediums you’re used to (or want to get good at)
2. What ‘look’ you’re after
A potato peeler with a plastic handle
A few weeks ago, my sister visited my home and we decided to cook together. We planned a simple dish influenced by our Japanese roots and, more practically, what happened to be in the fridge. As soon as we started prepping, she commented on my ‘not very good’ potato peeler. This genuinely surprised me as, even though it doesn’t look that great, I think of it as a bit of a super tool. We realised immediately that as I’ve probably peeled thousands of vegetables with it, it feels like an extension of my arm but of course this couldn’t be the case for her. What did we draw from this? That speed and skill grows not only from reps but how much you’ve used that particular tool.
But what does this mean in the context of art and design?
I admit that looking at art practice in this way could seem a little overwhelming, suggesting as it does that fluency needs an undisclosed amount of time and other factors to develop, but I also find it oddly comforting. Why? Because whatever medium I’m working in, no matter how much or how little time I’ve spent with it, the only thing I can do right now is just to keep going.
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Interested in commissioning or working with me? Get in touch via email at hello@tanyacornish.com
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