Notes on my understanding of ‘practice’

I tend to refer to my own practice as making. I feel comfortable with this word as it seems somehow less pretentious and also is an honest description of the activity. This could be because to date my work has been process and materials led and less driven by a concept or theory. My practice is a physical activity, as a painter I use my hands and body to manipulate the materials which I use. The practical nature of making art which I have employed requires a particular environment; I need a space, a studio, an easel, the equipment of my craft, my making. Practice perhaps needs to encompass the making and the thinking in equal measure for me to qualify as true practice.

On the other hand the word practice does itself imply practice as practical, a exploration of trial and error for the refinement of an idea, learning through mistakes, each mistake being a lesson to take forward. Practice is ongoing. It is an endless drive to improve and reach for the next ever changing goal. For me each time I discover something unexpected in my work I continue with that new thread and so on and on I continue.

Practice is an insight into a thinking process. The practice is not the final piece, if there really is such a thing, practice is the uncovering of new problems and questions as you work towards the final piece as you see it in the moment. The practice seemingly is the work which comes from the initial idea right up to but not including the final outcome, the drawing, writing and thinking.