Bill Greiner, an accomplished and celebrated artist in his own right, serves as chair of Olivet’s Department of Art and Digital Media and as the director of Olivet’s Brandenburg Gallery. His paintings are on display in several galleries across the Midwest, including two corporate galleries. His work is in five national Art Institute collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago, and has appeared in more than 300 private collections throughout the United States, Europe and Africa. He is an entrepreneur, avid collector of art and an in-demand art consultant for estates, collections and businesses. Prof. Greiner holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Illinois State University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of South Dakota.
Likewise, there is always an ever-unfolding plan when creating a work of art.
BILL GREINER
THE CREATIVE PROCESS Creativity is an interesting phenomenon that happens inside the brain. If we look to the book of Genesis, we see how God created His plan for the world. The creation story is one that God didn’t finish, because He wanted us to be part of it, with the talents He gave us. Once God created the world, He placed man in the middle of it all — seemingly saying, “Okay, what are you going to do with all this I’ve made?” Man multiplied, animals multiplied, plants grew, and they all continue multiplying to this day.
Each one of us has been given a gift from our Heavenly Father. It is what we do with that gift that makes God’s creation continue to move forward. As I begin to create using a blank canvas or sheet of watercolor paper, I have to ask, “What am I going to do? How am I going use the gift God gave me to create an image?” Recognizing artistic talent as God’s gift can be a hurdle to overcome, and sometimes it’s something we fear. It can be fear that hides the greatest pleasure, but will strengthen our artistic ability and allow us to grow. Artists need: something to say, the talent to convey our idea, and the courage to do it. Every time I begin a painting, I’m faced with these challenges. Creating a work of art takes courage. People are very open to critiquing the work and offering their opinions, each believing his or her viewpoint is the right one. The artist struggles with many questions. Do I have something of importance to say? Will the image strike a chord with the viewers? How does that happen anyway? As I begin the work of art, I also begin a dialogue with the work. There’s a strange thing that happens when I begin to lay colors down, layer after layer, in a particular order. It’s a struggle between me and the image, similar to the struggle of control between our Creator and us. I plan the image one way, and as it comes together, it has a tendency to go in a totally unexpected direction. The true artist listens to the work of art, moving in a new direction based on the image and the way the colors, composition and values have come together. The struggle of creating, for me, is the hook that keeps me painting year after year. That dialogue between the work and me is a surreal feeling, knowing that my creation is moving in a certain direction, one which I must embrace. Creating a work of art of any kind comes from deep within us. I believe it comes from our subconscious, which knows more about us than we do on the conscious level. I learn from my paintings — about me, about what’s going on inside my head. This is another surreal moment in time when I begin to see God’s hand in the gifts He has given me. I liken this to grace, something given without expectation, something not deserved. I can never repay God for my gifts, but I can use them in a way that shows my love for them. It is something that is never finished, always moving forward, as I ask, “What am I going to do next?” Painting has become my best friend and fiercest foe. I’ve learned to be controlled at times and to let go of control at other times, just as God seemingly does in all of our lives. Creating art is rewarding, even if one of my paintings fails. Each new painting takes me on a new journey as creation begins again.
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