The Copenhagen Challenge

[by Fred Lynch in Copenhagen, Denmark]

On a recent trip to Denmark, I tried to challenge myself to sketch quicker and with a broader variety of media. Ordinarily, I’m pretty consistent with my approach… and result. I’m a long-form sketcher who is attracted to light and specifics in my work. I’m in no hurry. I want to experience more and represent a longer exposure. On this trip however, I worked faster, and with different tools.

The result is not surprising. My work didn’t change much. My drawings look more similar than different. While I cut my working time and used a variety of tools that made me stop and rethink how to draw, in the end I proved to myself what I often teach my students. That is, for a seasoned artist, one’s style is what one can’t help but do. Over time, all of one’s experiments and experiences sharpen an artist’s view, and builds skill – but also sets one on a more singular path. More personal choices are made, and made more unconsciously. We naturally gravitate towards some things and avoid others. Eventually, our drawings become reflections of what we want to see and how we want to see them. We worry less about other peoples’ wants and desires. So, in the end, I can’t help but make similar images even though I challenge myself now and then. It’s others, not me, who will label my interests, as well as my limitations, as my “style.”