I’m at the edge of the Western Sahara, where the desert meets the sea, learning how to kite board. The landscape is striking in its vast emptiness – for miles and miles there is next to nothing, just sand.
In this severe, sparse environment, I couldn’t help but start thinking about the parallels between this place and art making.
Watch the video and let me know what you think – I would love to know.
In gratitude, Nicholas
40 Comments
Hi! I’m
Nicholas Wilton
the founder of Art2Life.
With over 20 years experience as a working artist and educator, I’ve developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process.
Join me and artists from all over the world in our Free Art2Life Artists Facebook Group or learn more here about Art2Life.
Love this. I have always been drawn to the idea of less is more. Whether it is achieved by editing out, or only putting in what is truly necessary in the first place…..not as easy as it sounds of course.
(Poor camel 😕)
Yep not easy but when it works it feels so great!
Oh my goodness! This is so great! And I love that camel Nick!
Hey Terry!
Wow! So true!
yikes. how timely! i was awake for 2 hours in the night wondering what i should add to digital compositions that i need to submit for jury TODAY (more yikes) to make them better, more right. it’s possible that the answer is – i need to eliminate some elements! *definitely* not as easy as it sounds, but i will be looking at them this morning with a different eye for sure. thank you!!
Bobbi, that would be amazing if this was helpful–I hope so! Good luck..
Thanks for bringing us a taste of the Sahara! Lately I’ve been loving covering things up in my paintings: ooh, this can go! this too! Its refreshing, finding space.
Hey I am with you… when in doubt x it out!
So elemental! Where are you exactly? I can feel how powerful it must feel in all its simplicity. Thanks!
It is in a small town called Dakhla on the edge of the western Sahara in Africa… Here is a link
http://www.kiteworldmag.com/travel/dakhla-morocco/
You are so right. We are always trying to add more as it is sometimes difficult to know when a piece is done. I will hold the thought to possibly remove things. It will help going into a new piece as well.
Love, love, the story of the camel and his escape. He found joy and hope for a short time anyway.
OH great! I think we should start a movement to free the camel!
hilarious and amazing. I love the camel story and the dog story. thanks for sharing your adventures.
Yes, it is fun to feel like others are with me sometimes…
Thanks for sharing your feeling Nick.
I live in a country that has big desert area. I love spending time in the vast area where there’s no people no houses no trees just rocks and sand and hot red and yellow sun that burn you and cool nights with millions of stars. I love the feeling that time stand’s still. the clock has no meaning. We all need to unwind occasionally, listen to our inner self and relax.
enjoy your vacation and I am sure that when you come back it will show on your canvases.
Thanks Shoshi…love your name by the way- curious where you live?
You’re right about the challenges of being a beginner. It’s hard! I work in film and I was intrigued by the fact that your video has 2 black pillars turning the image into a square. If you turned your phone sideways, wouldn’t we be able to appreciate more of the landscape where you stand?
Sylvie- you are right! duh…I am a beginner at filming my own videos…ha..I just spaced it..
Love your adventure. Kind of wish camel had another camel to be with him.
I know –he was tied up by his foot-if you look close in the video. I brought him some grapes which he loved…
I think a sense of place is underestimated in the creation of one’s art. Great detail can be found in a place where you can see the horizon and nothing interferes…..the different footprints (dog, camel, human)…the variety of colour and shape and value in the sand and water and sky that is right up front undisturbed by vegetation or houses or people. I grew up surrounded by woods and I did not see the horizon line until I was in highschool and happened to bike past a large field…..it had a huge impact…absolutely mesmerized. Yep, it shows up all the time in what I attempt to paint.
That is interesting Nancy, because I always like being on the edge of the sea–probably because I am used to having that horizon too..
You re such a beautiful spirit and inspiring soul. Thank you!!
Thank you…. I love the emptiness of a place. The same way I love the morning. I think that’s why living in the desert is my “home.” A drive through Nevada, on any road, does this for me. Hwy 50 east, in winter, at night, is really, really, quiet and lonely– but an amazing experience! Thank you for widening our horizons. 🙂
Yes, the Nevada desert is awesome–I need to go there in the spring–it has been awhile..
Nick, I thought you would show us how you kite-surf. 😜
Well I was pretty hopeless at it for most of the time..right at the end I started to actually ride and learn how to control the kite. A big learning curve with that sport! Hope you are doing well Lena!
Your impression of this place reminds me of how refreshing it is to work with less stuff in my studio. Less is always more in life and in the studio. When I was a little girl growing up in Canada my brother and I loved to ride our tricycles in our unfinished basement during the cold winter days. Nothing was down there except the cement floor and the metal support posts with just a few small windows close to the ceiling.
Just yesterday I recently moved to a shared studio space that is pretty small 8’x 12’ and I’ve been setting up shelves and arranging my painting supplies.
My intention is to continue to work on collage mixed media paintings in a series of 12”x12” panels while reviewing the CVP.
How much longer do I have access to the CVP 2017 program before I need to download the lessons and videos?
It is a year from the date we started the course so I believe that was right around March 1…I remember too riding trikes…isn’t that amazing we can remember being that small!?
I love your sharing your experience with the wild dogs. It’s such a great metaphor for making art or anything we do. I believe you said something like, “you have to pretend to be very confident, put up your arms, act bold and the wild dogs go away.” I’ll be thinking about that as I make bolder art, put it out into the world more confidently, and live my life. Thank you for all your inspiration!
Yes good point–I didn’t think of that but yes…
Love your travel experiences and the how you relate them to your ideas about your art practice. Also loved the story about the camel’s moments of glorious freedom! PS thanks for giving him grapes and making a sign for the man who made orange juice. 🙂
Love the camel, and also the sentiment to look at what should be removed from your work to draw attention to the main point or theme.
Thanks, again, Nicholas, for sharing (creating) these on the spot videos! I love them. I love seeing the vastness of this beach video, and by “adding the camel” makes it more “personal” in a way. Thank you.
Thank you for your post. Love the way you share these moments. Interesting how you are being steered to reduction in your work. Will be watching how it plays out. Sometimes utter simplicity can have an enormous impact. When visiting Museo del Novecento in Milan and loving all the amazing works, one work by Janis Kounellis stayed in my kind years later above all the others. It was very large in scale and breathtaking in its minimalism.
Thank you
That was, as usual, an interesting video and food for thought to take seriously deleting things from my work. Thank you. However, I do feel bad for the camel. Perhaps if he had another camel to be with.
Good story Nic which an artist needs to capture in their work to really express their connection to the environment. Often the simple close ups of my work often portray this better so thanks for explaining so well.
Loved the video and it’s thoughtful content. I was curious about the two dots of the home on the beach. Is that where you were staying? What was it doing there in all that nothingness? Was there no electricity or plumbing?
Sometimes I feel like the camel. Art is my job but when the creativity flows it’s like the camel running down the beach. Thanks for the story.