Creative Spirit Blog April 15, 2025 Simplicity

A Bit of Nature Collage

“It’s more difficult to be simple. And it is easier to be complicated.” (Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV) “Black Francis”

When I read this quote I thought, “Oh how true!” There is a real beauty in simplicity, but finding it often gets more difficult over time. When we get older, we stop seeing things as they are because we bring all our prior knowledge with us and see things in relation to everything we know about them.  Francis observed that children often notice simple details that adults can miss, because young people’s minds aren't bogged down with the complications of life.

However, true simplicity is derived from so much more than getting rid of clutter and ornamentation. It's about bringing order to complexity! Letting go of the non-essentials so that we can clearly express what’s most important to the idea we are trying to convey in our art. Or in “life”, the things we are trying to accomplish.  It’s the quiet places in our artwork that move our eyes around to the idea which we want to express. In life they allow us to enjoy the events we are sharing with others or even being by ourselves..

When our lives become hectic and out of control, we frequently become tense and stop getting pleasure from it.  A painting is much like life. If it’s jumbled together with too many elements clustered together, the viewer misses the point of the painting.  In life, as in a painting, we need a place to rest … a quiet spot.  When we have that we can go on and enjoy the rest of the painting or life's experiences.  

A painting is made up of many parts: lines, shapes, colors and textures.  If you have too many of any one element it takes away from the others.  It’s finding the correct balance.

Robert Henri said, “Good composition is like a suspension bridge, each line adds strength and takes none away.”

Things that are uncomplicated and uncluttered, rather than being overly enhanced or complex, can give the viewer a powerful message.  We also leave room for viewers to bring their own experiences to what they see. 

Simplicity leads to clarity. To an understanding of what we want to say by eliminating unnecessary elements.  It allows us to create something that is more focused, more powerful, and more effective. The relationship of elements and areas in our painting need to relate to each other without taking away.

A good composition effectively arranges all the elements to create a pleasing and meaningful visual experience for the viewer. It focuses the viewer's attention on the main subject, avoids distractions, and guides the eye through the piece. A well-composed piece feels balanced, harmonious, and impactful. We don’t need to overpower the viewer with so many details that they don’t understand the message.

When we harness the power of simplicity and clarity, we create a more profound and impactful piece of art. When we organize our lives, we also create a more peaceful and meaningful life.

There are so many wonderful materials, techniques, and approaches to art making that it can become over whelming.  The secret is using the things that go well together and enhance each other. Carolyn