Following on from my previous blog, the next question I was asked was:

Question:
"In what ways do you believe artists, and specifically jewelry artists, view he world differently than the general public? Is the "artist's eye" something that can be developed"

My answer:
I don't think an artist's eye is any different to a doctor's eye or an accountant's eye. If we were all to look at the same thing we'd all bring our own experiences and interests to what we're thinking when we view it.

The only difference would be that I would be looking at it and wondering how I could represent that in my work, or use the theme or idea. But they might be looking at it wondering how it works or if the figures behind it add up!

I think the idea of an artist's eye is just more of the myth surrounding artists. In reality we're just people who look at the world slightly differently sometimes; but then so does everyone else, so we're not exactly unique!

Artists may be born more inclined to look at the world a certain way but I really believe that most, if not all, people have this potential if they tune into it.

An artist's eye can be developed just as much as any other eye and it just comes with spending more and more time looking at things and attempting to translate them in an artistic way.

We all know that some of us are born to run whilst others aren't - why should it be any different with our brains?

I can love reading and maths but just can't get my head around electricity- it completely baffles me.

I can bead, crochet, do chain maille and wirework etc. but find knitting strange and awkward. Am I just not meant to be a knitter or have I just not figured out how to do it in a way that works for me?

So some of us may be more prone to have an artist's eye than others- does that mean we can never develop one?

Malcolm Gladwell writes about the "10,000 hour rule" where basically success and/ or genius can often be attributed to putting in 10,000 hours of work on a subject.

People often ask me how I can know how a piece of beadwork will turn out or what will work etc. and the answer is simply that I have spent many, many, many hours actually beading, looking at beading, reading about beading etc. I have studied my subject extensively!

The best way to learn about something is to do it. So I think an artist's eye can be developed by simply acting as though you have an artist's eye- don't blame me if it takes 10,000 hours to get it right!

Over to you:
What do you think?
Do you have an artist eye?
Were you born with it or did it develop?
Have you trained it or developed it?
What have you observed in others?

I'd love to hear any of your responses, contact me and let me know what you think.

On a lighter note!
I'm away for the week with Jill Devon, the wonderful designer and woman behind The Bead Merchant. We're staying at a lovely house in Suffolk and have lots of beady fun lined up- check back to see what we get up to over the week. Already I'm having fun catching up with lots of people I haven't seen for years and exploring Bruisyard Hall where we're staying. Especially this great looking man and the fabulous desk designed by Laszlo Hoenig about whom Google tells me almost nothing- very annoying!