What is your style saying about you?

We’ve all heard the expression “the eyes are the windows to the soul”. Maybe…

“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” – Henry Ward Beecher

I have met a lot of people who wear sunglasses or a fake smile, but I have never met a person whose art didn’t tell me the story of who they were.

Maybe it’s not the eyes themselves, but what we create with our eyes that tells our story.

People wonder if they will ever find their style. That style emerges when we act. I won’t create my style shopping online or reading magazines. I might be inspired by what I see, but I have to make it mine first. My style emerges when I put on my clothes and walk out into the world.

When I was in high school, I used to wear slacks, wingtips, button-down shirts, and a black wool overcoat. I carried around a black leather bag filled with my sketchbook and school supplies. I wanted to be taken seriously.

But not too seriously. So I threw on some hoop earrings and wore a lot of purple. I slicked my hair back and added horn-rimmed dark glasses bedazzled with rhinestones. I laughed hard, and then I would scowl.

People might describe this as a faze, or as a young man, trying to find his style, but in that moment, that style was an expression of who I was. It was a demonstration of my confidence and a reflection of my insecurities. When it no longer fit me, I left it behind.

Gabriel Mark Lipper – Minos justice – oil on panel – 24″x48″

This is true for all of us. Every action that we take in the studio, every decision that we make on the canvas is a reflection of our tastes, our fears, or desires.

When our paintings are exacting and careful, they could be a reflection of not only our need for control but our need for external approval. Perhaps we want to be seen as competent. When our paintings are unhinged and bold, they may reflect our need for freedom, escape, or our desire for play. Maybe we want to be seen as Avant-garde or sophisticated. Whether we paint to satisfy an internal need or to define ourselves for others, there is no right or wrong here. There is no “getting to” our style. We are living it.

When we look at paintings, we can see timidity, boldness, rebellion, or reserve, coming through in every brushstroke. This is hard for an artist. This is why so many of us are deeply dissatisfied with our work.  It tells the truth about us and sometimes, that’s a difficult thing for us to see.

It’s also, one of the most beautiful things that we can create. It takes bravery to put yourself out there and to ask yourself what you like. It doesn’t have to be beautiful to be you. Life has a bit of everything, and our art helps us discover who we are.

Has your style evolved?

Are you afraid to be seen?

What is your style saying about you?