Liz Huston

In the creation process, I treat my pieces like stories. As an idea begins to form, instead of just stumbling around in it, I have learned to create a dialogue with it. I ask the idea questions (sometimes aloud) and allow the answers to come. Even if the answers are strange – I try to stay open – which isn’t always easy. Sometimes I just wish the idea would tell me its entire plot at once. Sometimes I wish it would be less poetic and more concise – the better to get straight to work on it.

But, if the idea, in its entirety, was clear from the beginning – there would be no search. And what is creation if not a search?

I have these fragments, pieces of the puzzle that will eventually become a painting or a photomontage. These are fragments that I don’t understand right away, if ever.  If the thread of the story is stronger than the visuals that come, and I tug on that thread to get closer and closer to the core of the story, magic happens. Sometimes to better understand the narrative, I’ll write ideas and character development on index cards. A process perhaps you’d expect from a writer, not a visual artist. But it’s worked for me so many times.

Today I found one of those index cards tucked away in a strange place.

I don’t remember what this was in reference to. But I started to write the word ‘important’, so clearly I wanted to remember.

Today I do not remember.
But I kinda love it.