The ebb within the flow

When studying fine art at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), having returned to university as a fifty-something first year uni student, I was fortunate to have a wonderful lecturer and artist Raaf Ishak as my mentor. 

When looking at my work, he told me in his kind yet direct manner, that my art was too obvious. I was giving no credit to the viewer, no room for their own opinions. 

It was wonderful advice, but personally very challenging as it forces the artist to present their work knowing many people won’t ‘like it’ or ‘get it’. 

I feared my art being interpreted as something different to my intent. 

I basically lacked the courage and confidence to do what art is intended to do, create a conversation. Hence I wasn’t really being an artist. I was not prepared for this vulnerability.

I needed to embrace ambiguity, the very thing I realised I’d been avoiding for most of my working life. 

Art forced me to rethink this approach.

 

Ambiguity is an opportunity.

 

Leading positively and purposefully whilst acknowledging uncertainty and the fact that you don’t have the answer invites a much better conversation. 

To do otherwise, then you are not really being a leader.