A to Z, 2012-- G is for...

Genuine.

The word "genuine" means (paraphrased from a few online dictionary definitions) something that is truly what one says it to be. The word stands for the sincerity of person, emotion, or action.
I am sure that many would like to know-- why is an artist writing about sincerity, about being genuine?

I believe that it is the role of an artist to share his or her special vision in the world. I believe that everything that this artist does needs to reflect this vision, which in turn is actually a reflection of the soul.

And  perhaps most importantly of all, I believe that an artist is compelled to share his or her vision and soul with others in a tangible way. It is the sincerity behind this depiction that draws us into the artist's world. It is the genuineness of this expression-- the person, the emotion, the action, the place, the idea, or whatever else this expression is-- that allows others to see what the artist sees. It is this genuineness that causes an artist's work to resonate within each one of us who are lucky enough to experience it.


A genuine artist creates things that sincerely stand for his or her vision. And without that element of genuine truth, the art loses its substance. And a creation without substance is not art at all, but merely strokes of color on a piece of paper.

One of my all-time favorite paintings. I love Van Gogh, and love both his use of color here and the brush strokes used for his iconic effect! This is one of the paintings that truly inspires me~ and I would argue that Van Gogh was a master of genuine creation.

The key to being an artist is being genuine in what you do. I firmly believe that when an artist says that he or she always tries to stay true to himself or herself, that this is what they truly mean by that.

How do YOU stay genuine in all that you do?