Developing Your Artistic Voice the Easy Way: Uncover the Meaning That's Already There
"So, what's your work about?"
I used to freeze when people asked me this. I'd fumble through descriptions of how I was trying to combine my love of ceramics with my obsession with color and self-expression, and then maybe tie in my science background and Mennonite maker heritage, and... – while the person's eyes glazed over. They didn't want an inventory of influences as I trailed off...they wanted to know what I was saying.
And part of the reason I couldn't clearly answer was, I myself didn't really know. I knew the direction I wanted to go, and I had started dabbling, but it hadn’t all come together yet.
Here's the thing: a lot of us create without fully understanding what our work is about. And at first, that makes perfect sense. We follow our curiosity, develop technical skills. But somewhere along the way, we often forget to consider the meaning of what we're doing. We ignore the voice that's already there, buried underneath all those brushstrokes and clay.
And honestly? That's okay. You don't need to - you kind of CAN’T - have it all figured out before you start. But at some point, pausing to understand what your work is really about can transform your entire practice, and light you up in new ways.
Do you gravitate towards detail?
Are you energized by loose, loud and colorful brushstrokes? Geometric shapes? Do yo keep coming back to a specific theme or subject matter?
Does your heritage or community influence your work?
The Thing That Separates Art from Craft (And Why It Matters)
Let me be super clear: this is not a knock on craft. Craft is beautiful. Craft is the making, the process, the technical skill. It can be incredibly intricate, difficult, and masterful. It can be meditative, and it is valuable all on its own. There are all levels – from beginning crafters to award-winning makers who've spent decades perfecting their techniques.
But when we move into calling something art, one of the first distinctions – maybe the biggest – is that art is describing something. An emotion. A problem. A struggle. An experience. A story.
Art takes that topic and filters it through you, the unique human tool expressing it. It combines all of your specific skills of making – your drawing, paint handling, clay techniques, whatever your medium – with your specific voice, perspective, passions, and what you want or need to say through your work.
That filtering process? That's what makes it yours. That's what makes it art.
Why This Matters Right Now
These days, information is everywhere. Content floods our feeds. AI can generate images in seconds. Possibility is literally infinite online.
But manual art and craft? Emotional expression through your actual hands? These are becoming more and more special to the human experience.
No one – and I mean no one but YOU– can express what's on your mind and heart, using your voice, through the filter of your hands and skills. That's all you. And it's interesting. It's valuable. Whether you see it that way or not - the world is so much better with your unique contribution.
Here's the other thing: it's beneficial to your mental and emotional health to find productive ways to express yourself.. After spending 20 years in brain injury and vision rehabilitation, I watched people struggle to process their experiences, to make sense of what happened to them, to find ways forward. The ones who found creative outlets had better outcomes. They had a way to externalize what was happening internally.
Creating art does that for all of us. So why not go with the win-win here? Do a little thinking and creating, in your voice, your way, and get the benefit of both understanding yourself better and making work that means something.
Maybe You Already Know (Or Maybe You Don't)
Some artists have strong conviction about what their work is about from the start. They know what they need to say and they're figuring out how to express it through their chosen medium. If that's you, great! You have clarity and direction.
But a lot of us create from instinct and curiosity, following what calls to us without necessarily knowing why. We make what we're drawn to, and only later – if we pause to look – do we discover the themes that have been there all along.
Even if you think you know what your work is about, excavating deeper can reveal layers you hadn't considered. So whether you're starting from scratch or want additional insight and depth, here's how to reverse engineer your artistic voice from the work you've already made.
How to Excavate What Your Work Is Actually About
Gather Your Evidence
Pull out everything you've made in the past year or two. Photos work fine if you don't have the actual pieces. Don't judge, just collect. This is data gathering, not critique.
Look for Patterns
What keeps showing up? I'm not talking about technique or medium – I mean content. What subjects, themes, or visual elements repeat?
Do you keep painting windows? Drawing hands? Creating vessels? Working with certain colors or textures? What are you actually drawn to, over and over?
Ask the Annoying Questions
Grab a notebook and free-write answers to these:
Why does this subject matter to me?
What does it represent or remind me of?
What feeling am I trying to capture or express?
If my work could speak, what would it say?
When I look at this pattern, what memory or experience does it connect to?
What am I working through by making this?
Yeah, these questions feel cheesy. Do them anyway. Sometimes the cheese is where the truth lives.
Connect Elements to Meaning
Every artistic choice you make carries meaning, whether you're conscious of it or not. This is where my vision science background comes in handy – I'm fascinated by how our visual choices communicate even when we're not trying to.
Look at the how of your making:
Dark colors or bright ones?
Rough textures or smooth?
Large scale or intimate?
Detailed or loose?
Representational or abstract?
Contained or expansive?
These aren't random preferences. They're saying something about how you see the world and what you value.
For me, working small with porcelain and drawing intricate details reflects my love of quiet contemplative work and my fascination with things that require careful attention. Those tiny flower drawings aren't just decoration – they're about patience, presence, and the meditation of repetitive, detailed work. They're about finding beauty in the small moments of the natural world.
They're also about vulnerability – porcelain is so fragile, fussy to work with, and easy to break. Creating something delicate and putting it out in the world is a risk. That tension between control and vulnerability? That's part of my voice.
Write It Down Messily
Don't try to craft the perfect artist statement. Just write: "I think my work is about..." and keep going. Let it be rough. Let it contradict itself. Let it surprise you. You're exploring, not publishing a dissertation.
Test It Against Your Gut
When you land on something true, you'll feel it. It won't feel forced or like you're trying to sound smart for a gallery opening. It'll feel like "oh, yeah, that's actually it." That recognition in your body? That's your voice showing up.
What Happens When You Know
Once you understand what your work is about, everything shifts:
You make better decisions about which projects to pursue
You can describe your work to others without fumbling
You develop a cohesive body of work instead of scattered pieces
You know when to say no to opportunities that don't fit your voice
You push your practice deeper instead of skimming the surface
Your work feels more intentional, more yours
And here's the beautiful thing: your voice doesn't have to be serious or profound or gallery-worthy. It just has to be yours.
Maybe your work is about joy. Or curiosity. Or the way light changes throughout the day. Or processing grief. Or celebrating ordinary moments. Or questioning assumptions. Or simply exploring what happens when two colors meet. Or healing. Or connecting to community. Or taking risks in a safe space.
Whatever it is, it matters because it's coming through you, filtered through your specific hands and heart and history.
Your Assignment This Week
Spend 30 minutes with your recent work. Don't judge it, just observe it like you're looking at someone else's art. What patterns emerge? What are you drawn to repeatedly? What might you be trying to say, even if you weren't saying it consciously?
Write down what you notice. Even if it feels obvious or silly or not profound enough. Write it anyway.
Because understanding what your work is about isn't about impressing anyone. It's about creating with intention. It's about knowing yourself well enough to make art that's genuinely, specifically, undeniably you.
And in a world where everything can be generated, copied, or mass-produced, that matters more than ever. More than anything, I want to get you fired up about making your own art, in your own voice. This is how we start.
Want help digging deeper into your creative practice? Grab my free Quarterly Review Workbook – it includes exercises to help you identify patterns, celebrate your wins, and set intentions that align with your actual artistic voice.
If this resonates, I'd love to hear what you discover about your work. Find me on Instagram @heidisenseart or drop me an email – I'm always excited to talk about this stuff!
With Enthusiasm For Life & Art,