Michael Gute and The Inner Critic
Kendall College of Art and Design alumnus, Michael Gute, shares his current intuitive and vibrant abstract paintings and talks about his artistic process and the importance of showing up.
The Lesson
oil on canvas
KARDIA: When you’re in the studio, do you have a specific routine you like to stick to? Or any particular habits that help you jump start your creative flow?
MICHAEL GUTE: Show up, brew coffee, and just dive into something! The most important thing about being an artist is “showing up” and doing something. I have been surprised many times by what can happen in the studio if I start working even when I’m not in the mood or I feel a sense of failure. Nothing can happen when you’re sitting around but anything can happen when your in your studio. It’s also important for me to schedule two days off each week. Otherwise, my fire starts to extinguish.
K: What would you say is the greatest duty of an artist?
MG: The greatest duty for an artist is embracing their personal calling to create their work. Artists don’t paint because they love it. It’s terrible, hard work where the rewards are never promised. Who would do that all their lives!? We do it because we know in our mind and bodies we’re supposed to. I think it’s an instinct that’s just easier to listen to than to ignore.
The Last Holiday Under The Autumn Moon
oil on canvas
partial diptych
K: When did you feel like you truly became and identified with being an artist?
MG: I started painting when I was a teenager and had some encouraging early success. It became a positive way for me to get attention, build my self confidence and I even spent my undergraduate years studying painting and history. I strayed away from painting for several years and I grew tired of making excuses for why I wasn’t working. I was so afraid to fail. I believed I had lost all ability. I became a true artist when I faced my fears and started making work again.
K: Is there anything you’ve learned now that you wish you could tell your younger artist self?
MG: I’m torn here because I’m not entirely sure I would tell myself to keep painting through those years I strayed away. I think I would say, “Trust where you are – just don’t stay there very long.” I’m starting to see that in those inactive years I experienced other parts of life that have fueled much of my work today. I still carry a little voice in my mind that asks me, “How could you have waisted all that time?” This has also lit the fire in me to work even harder now that I’m fully dedicated to my work and wouldn’t want to trade that sense of intention for anything else.
K: Where do you find inspiration? What things in or out of the studio spark joy in your life?
MG: I want to be appreciated. We all want to be truly seen and appreciated for who we are and what we can do. My inspiration comes from this and from the feeling I get when I’m creating something that captives me. I’m more interested in the actual experience of creating work. I love how the world melts away and your intuition takes over to create pictures. If my mind doesn’t really control what I’m painting, then where do these little decisions come from? It’s so mystical and fantastic. I’m really just a vehicle for the soul to express itself.
Lonely In Venice
oil on canvas
K: Who are some artists that inspire you?
MG: I lust over artists who paint pictures without trying to fool you too much. I love when you can see the brushwork, the scrapes from the pallet knife and finger prints on a piece. I want to literally see the artist in their work. Picasso, Matisse did this and Cecily Brown does this today.
K: How do you deal with your inner critic?
MG: I’m friends with my inner critic because it’s an important tool. I have learned when to trust it and when to ignore it. It’s the inner critic that keeps you up at night and makes you go back to the studio just to fix one little thing. In this way, it makes you a better artist. We’re usually perfectionists. I ignore it when it tells me I’m a fraud or an imposter because it’s not true and I’ve earned my right to own the space I’ve created for myself.
To Be Carried Across The Desert
oil and spray paint on canvas
K: What ways do you feel your artwork and message are best valued? Is there anything you hope your viewers take away from experiencing one of your paintings in person?
MG: I hope that for a split second the viewer sees something they’ve never seen before in my work. I just want to create something special. Most importantly, I want my buyers to be happy with the art they bring into their lives. It’s amazing to me that there are little pieces of my heart in the homes of my buyers.
K: How do you navigate your way through a “creative block”? Do you have any advice for other artists that might be experiencing a stifling block?
MG: Blocks are terrible but you can use them to your advantage. If you’re not going to make art then you better be out doing something that will inspire you when you’re ready. We can get so caught up in our internal worlds and a painting can feel like a mountain. Artists also keep working internally when they’re not in the studio. So, just imagine what’s inside of you waiting to come to fruition when your ready. It is easy to feel drained but your just in the process of filling up again. Give yourself some time.
Under The Mossy Trees II
oil on canvas
K: What are some ways that community members can best support artists?
MG: It’s important to recognize that every artist whose work has a price tag is also an entrepreneur looking to do business. We contribute to our communities in important ways and have earned our seat at the table. Communities can work with local artists to leveraged their individuality and stimulate their economy.
Artist, Michael Gute