"I saw the angel in the marble, and carved until I set him free." Michelangelo

[Mary Donaldson Powell]

"I saw the angel in the marble, and carved until I set him free."  Michelangelo

 

[Mary Donaldson Powell]

What an amazing quote! Is it really that simple? Do artists really see shapes or images in a piece of marble, or clay or a clean sheet of paper? It is like asking what comes first the chicken or the egg. For me, I generally know what I am going to paint before I sit in front of paper. Other times when I just want to paint for the pure joy or relaxation of it, I will sit with a piece of clean white paper in front of me and just do whatever I want. I don't have to plan it or think much about it, I just do it. Maybe I do kind of just see a flower or bowl of fruit on my paper and I put paint on the paper until I set it free. I really like that image.