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An Artist's High
Valerie Atkisson, "Jungle Totem", Watercolor on paper, 12ft x 2 ft, 2008 (detail)
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Valerie Atkisson
Prior to starting ArtBistro, Valerie lived and worked as an artist in New York City for ten years. Her work has been shown at New York galleries and museums and been reviewed in publications such as The New York Times. Valerie taught art for eight years part-time at Grace Church School and most recently at Brigham Young University. She has collaborated on a number of commercial enterprises with composers, designers, writers, photographers, and dancers. She graduated from the School of Visual Arts with her Master of Fine Arts in 1998. ArtBistro Portfolio
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Valerie Atkisson / ArtBistro
October 12, 2009
I took down some posts on ArtBistro about making art under the influence of illegal drugs. We can’t really allow that content on our 13 and up site. A few weeks later I was making some art and it sparked my thinking about making art and “highs”.
What happened? Since becoming the Editor of ArtBistro it has been a challenge to keep up with my art career. A few months ago, an opportunity came to show at a gallery, the Sego Art Center. I was ready to make another large piece and was pretty excited at the opportunity. I’d done some thinking and sketching but nothing had really felt right or crystallized except I knew that it would be watercolor and that I wanted the result to be an organic shape rather than a rectangle. During one of my morning swims, the idea of the piece came to me.
I worked at my studio for several stretches of time and had worked out the format of the piece, a 12-foot tall watercolor. I collected source material for the jungle trees and made a drawing of how they would go up the wall. I made sketches of little “me’s” from acrobatic gymnasts and trapeze artists. I had a life size drawing and transferred it to watercolor paper.
Having done all of that, the pressure was on. I had three large pieces of watercolor paper and I was nervous about messing them up. One “oops” splash and I may have to start over and I did not have time to start over.
I turned on some of my favorite music and got to work. I started painting under layers and ideas of interesting color combinations and blending came to mind. I made bold and quick decisions about what should go where and experimented with how to make these trees interesting and individual. I was having a lot of fun and the watercolors were being completed much more quickly than I anticipated. All of the strokes I made were meaningful, right, and the color choices were having my desired effect. I was surprised and encouraged with the spontaneous ideas that were working out beautifully. I was having so much fun! A few hours flew by and I started to get tired. I quit for the day because I know that when I get tired I make mistakes. It was hard to stop though I was having such a good time.
During the drive home from my studio I felt mixture of surprise, satisfaction, pride in my work, euphoria, energy, optimism, and that anything I would do at that moment would turn to gold. I went home and I could not go to sleep. I can always go to sleep, but I was so energized and excited about the work that I’d just done, I couldn’t. It was adrenaline. It was then that I realized that I was on an “Artist High”.
I remembered that this has happened to me before on other projects. I even, in some cases, remember when and at what point I was at in the project when I felt the same feelings. This “high” feeling can be a very powerful motivator for artists especially amongst the difficulties of a creative career.
zeezeleski
about 1 year ago
6 comments
As soon as I read "An Artist's High" I thought to myself "...finishing a piece of work that you are REALLY proud of". I'd be pretty damn proud of the piece you've shown us here - it's terrific. Thanks for sharing a thought-provoking question with a genuine artist's solution.
janiecej
about 1 year ago
2 comments
fantastic article. vivid and animated piece. if only everyone could find those things that give them euphoria authentically.
MoorMookie
about 1 year ago
30 comments
Thanks for writing such a great article that captures that "high". I think we all have moments when the work just flows out of you and you turn off the internal editor and allow the real work to come out. Also, thank you so much for sharing the piece with us.
Account Removed
about 1 year ago
I can feel your euphoria in this piece. It's so full of energy, I'd be disappointed if you didn't experience a high while creating it. You articulated the experience beautifully.
edie
about 1 year ago
284 comments
boy do i understand that wonderful artist "high". love what it can do for a work of art but we have to be careful because it can and will destroy a piece of work. been there too.
bernadette
about 1 year ago
38 comments
Making art under the influence of substances whether legal or illegal is a relevant subject along with the euphoric feeling one gets for creating art. It's all about altered consciousness, one way or another. Who's to judge? Certainly, not us artists. What ever gives us the ability to see things that we haven't seen or experienced before, adds to the total experience. In a way, it's all natural. Have fun whichever way you choose as long as you don't hurt yourself or others. Loved your 12 foot watercolor!!!!
robbreisch
about 1 year ago
3008 comments
oops-spellcheck errors..sorry..must have been all those years as an afterwork alcoholic.
robbreisch
about 1 year ago
3008 comments
getting high on creativity as opposed to getting high then becoming creative...
actually in some states like Washington marijuana is also consumed for medical reasons-and I for one utilized it for many years mainly for that purpose-a side affect that i noticed was the extra creativity urges that I had after indulging.
So-it strikes me as a bit odd that talking about it-shold be taken out of context.
In some cultures-nudity as a form of art is forbidden-so-its a matter of drawing a line. It is censorship-and the facts are that there is far more art here and communication about it then talk about drugs.
Any 13 year old can tell you that they are exposed far more often at school to suggestive use of drugs than here on artbistro.
drugs like tobacco and alcholo are far more dangerous than pot.Why not resrict conversations so that no one can talk about those also?
This is the myth in education-that just because its legal-does not make it ok or safe to practice.
So-if your going to discriminate or suppress speech because the content is suggestive-than at least do it fairly as well as use a bit of logic..
Perhaps we can say that medical prescription drugs which are 100&% legal are ok to talk about-whereas things like drugs classified as non medical should be banned from conversation.
Still banning free speech-which is an art form itself..but-Its not my place to say what should be banned from this site...whether its one form of communication or another...I got in hot water for my comments taht pictures of vacations-shots to me that had very little artistic substance in my opinion-should be in another type of site.that drew lots of negative feedback.
I myself-have talked about my drug experiences here so I am part of the problem-I never suggest that anyone should use any drug-or alcohol or tobacco-the true primary gateway drugs in American society.
As a communication and art major-I am surprised to see a forum banning free speech on artbistro. banning talking about illegal drugs but allowing artists who choose pen names that are explicit seems a bit silly.
Some work seen here could be considered offensive morrally0-but those who view it and don't like what they see-know to just move on.
Ok- all that said..
I do get a high when I create my forms of art...and it lasts longer than any buzz I have acquired by other means-legal or otherwise.
Rob
Heppyartist
about 1 year ago
484 comments
yeah the artist high is really what it is all about..., but honestly I had no idea this site practiced censorship, I mean you can find nude lucid prints and paintings in nearly every museum that is worth hanging a painting in but you feel morally obligated to restrict topics such as drug use when creating, how about making an age verification option which can be applied to blogs or whatever? I really like the site but if you can't find a way to endor adjust your practice of censorship then I must say this really is not a site for artist. Creating art is about the high for the artist but it comes in acomplishment, experimentation and criticism or lack there of, next time why don't you tell everyone the color red is to traumatic as it looks like blood and so no more talking about using red as it may offendand or traumitise our younger users! sorry about the spelling I typed this in a hurry, and one more thing your tree really is cool good job on that.
faithhopefreedom
about 1 year ago
484 comments
Valerie, this is so true, i have had that high many times, find myself sometimes watching my hand work and think wow it seemed separate from the rest of me....or what i love most is starting a piece (start to finish) then stepping back in amazement that i just did something so good without stopping...sometimes the older we get we have to stop, just to rest....
i just love your piece, it's an inspiration for me and other artists....keep up the great work...
peace....
JUHKNELL
about 1 year ago
326 comments
There is nothing like "that" feeling U get when U know U have produced some of your best work.
U are absolutely right that U can't go to sleep when U feel like that...
&&& your piece is awesome...
NYC324
about 1 year ago
884 comments
it's the best feeling, nonpareil
sandkitty
about 1 year ago
354 comments
Excellent description - Excellent piece!!! Lovely!!!
sandkitty
about 1 year ago
354 comments
Excellent description - Excellent piece!!! Lovely!!!
SheilaTS
about 1 year ago
5676 comments
I loved reading your creative process. A visual and a verbal artisan.