The Journey and the Work
The journey and the work begins the moment you are influenced, captivated and inspired to pursue your passion. Romare Bearden’s Bio sheds light on the journey and the work one puts forth when they decide to pursue their passion. Born Sept 2, 1911 in Charlotte, North Carolina; Romare Bearden is considered one of the most important African American artist of the 20th century. He his known for his painted paper and photograph collages. His work depicts the African American culture and experience in the United States.
Bearden was not recognized as an artist until the 1940’s, when he had his first solo exhibition in New York and Washington D.C. in his early thirties. He died in 1988 and is now celebrated for his work and contributions to art, history and culture. His journey led him on a path of discovery. He dabbled in film, writing, history, social work, and education. I believe the journey of an artist of any medium includes the journey of self discovery. The work of developing your craft is essential but the work without the journey lacks inspiration and perspective.
The Work
Romare Bearden photo taken by Carl Van Vechten, photographer. Source: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/vv:@field(SUBJ+@band(Bearden,+Romare,--1911-1988+)) CREATED/PUBLISHED 1944 Apr. 15. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sometimes impatience causes us to thwart the developmental stages of learning how to perfect our craft. The need to produce something that will be admired and recognized by our contemporaries drives our motivation to create, which can also dilute authenticity. Some work has to be done in the dark and quiet moments, where we curate and mold our medium overtime. It is like being held in a holding pattern, observing-working, until the work is finished.
The Art
The good book says, “Good things come to those who wait.” There isn’t a set time of gestation; There are births that are quick—painless, others are long and exhausting. It is said that Bearden didn’t develop his semiabstract collage style until the early 50′s, a style that would make him one of the most important American artist of his time.
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