Excellence

Michaelangelo. Just the name conjures up wonderful artwork images. The Sistine Chapel for one. Recently, I read an article where they found that one of his paintings had an image of what they believed to be a brain in the background. It took a physician from John Hopkins University and a medical illustrator to see this.

Today artists are blessed with numerous photographic images and live models for reference material in their paintings. Michaelangelo and countless artists that have preceeded us did not have the luxury of photos. With excellence, his artwork has touched countless audiences through the ages. What we choose to see touches our lives and impacts our art, just as it did many years ago with Michaelangelo.

What is excellence? Excellence is doing the best with what you have. Pushing past mediocrity and to excel with the talent and skills that God has enabled you to do.

Art at it's best stimulates the mind and moves the soul. I constantly seem to push myself towards this mark for others. Trying to achieve this is a constant challenge as an artist. Because once artistic integrity is achieved on some level, it must be maintained. Growth must also happen. Otherwise others will see that the artistic integrity has waned.

Learning, growth and change are a part of life. As life continues, so will art. Even though artwork may change, excellence and artistic integrity will not. Michaelangelo and countless artists down through the ages are visual proof of this.