Alright Yuri, so what is this “Journey” you keep going on about?

Great question! Yeah, “Journey” sounds like I’ve been reading a lot of Joseph Campbell lately, but honestly, it’s just my way of describing the whole process of creation. The process itself is like a series of steps and stops on the way to your destination: the finished piece.

All artists are different, but for me, this process involves a constant shift between the right and left sides of my brain. Quick recap: the right side of your brain is where the creative stuff happens, and the left handles the business and structure:

Step 1: Inspiration and Ideation (Right Brain)

This is where inspiration strikes and pure, immaterial creativity flows. I use my imagination to play with an idea, exploring whether it merits moving forward. Sometimes this step takes seconds, and other times an idea might gestate for years in the background before I’m ready to take it to the next phase.

Step 2: Planning (Left Brain)

This is where my process might differ from other artists. Some approach the canvas with nothing but a desire to see where their creativity takes them, essentially skipping straight from Step 1 to Step 3 (below). I’m a planner. I prefer to map out my piece in a visual mockup before moving on. This step might involve searching for the perfect photo reference, staging models in Photoshop, or other groundwork.

Step 3: Execution (Left and Right Brain)

This is where the work happens. Some might argue this is purely a right-brain activity, but I’d disagree. My mental state during this phase feels like a potpourri of thoughts: drawing on years of experience to make strategic artistic decisions, navigating Adobe Illustrator, tapping into creative flow, thinking, “Did I eat today?”, “Does this suck?”, refocusing on the work, and so on.

The signal-to-noise ratio in your mind during this step can be intense. Sometimes you hit that meditative state where time stops, and you’re purely in the creative flow—but that state is as elusive as the ideal meditation itself.

Fellow artist and friend David Ross recently told me, “I’ve come to view the art as the process, and what is left over at the end of the day is merely a relic, an 'artifact' that represents the art, but is not the art itself.”

That sums up “the Journey” perfectly for me: the art is the process. When you create from a place of personal expression (as opposed to creating specifically for others), the act of creation is the life. The final piece, along with everything you do with it (marketing, sales, shows, etc.), is simply sharing the Journey Artifact with others.

I hope this helps illuminate a bit of my process and my thoughts on the life of an artist. Let me know what YOU think!