What? You want to buy my painting?
I noticed a young couple viewing several of my paintings during the opening reception of an art exhibition. They had studied paintings throughout the gallery, but kept returning to one of mine. Finally, the lady approached me saying, “We love your work, and want to purchase one of your paintings.”
I was delighted and humbled, and replied, “Thank you! How exciting that you want to hang my artwork in your home!”
But deep inside, I imagined a faint voice shouting, “Wait! Theyʼre taking home a part of me! That artwork is my creation! Itʼs my baby! Iʼll never see it again!”
To understand these feelings, one must understand my artistic thought process. I paint to please myself, to create something that brings me happiness. I use rich, bold, bright colors, and detailed designs. I view the process of creating art as a form of self-improvement. It hones my observational skills, challenges me to master new techniques, and forces me to experiment with pigments and textures.
I challenge myself to paint a variety of subjects. Sometimes I create a composition that frightens me as I analyze how I will approach the painting process. This results in my becoming deeply involved with the painting.
My artwork is representational. It expresses no hidden meaning or philosophy. I paint what I see, what attracts me, and what I love. Hopefully, this results in a painting that people will enjoy as much as I enjoyed bringing it to completion.
I create artwork in pen and ink, watercolor, acrylic, and oil. Presently my preferred medium is watercolor. I love the process of applying pigment and water to paper, and then watching patiently as the transparent pigment mingles with the water to produce amazingly beautiful colors. This step is followed by a series of glazes to build glowing hues that bring me great joy and evoke an emotional response. This is a time-consuming, meticulous process.
I create paintings to enter in regional and national juried competitions. In such events a judge or a panel of judges will review hundreds of photographed artwork images on a screen, then choose a limited number of them to be shown in an exhibition or gallery. To enter a competition, I must abide by rigid rules established by the event organizers. Paintings must be the artistʼs original design and concept. For this reason, I take my own reference photographs. This step of the art producing process simply adds to my bonding with the artwork.
Entering a juried competition can be intimidating, but itʼs an excellent way to evaluate my artistic progress.
When my work is not accepted, I understand that the decision reflects one personʼs opinion, and it gives me an opportunity to re-evaluate my efforts. My greatest feeling of accomplishment is to be accepted into such an exhibition. I don’t need to receive an award; I already have it – I GOT IN! When I receive an award as well, thatʼs simply the icing on the cake.
The time I spend in my studio becomes treasured moments. I canʼt paint when I have non-artistic thoughts cluttering my mind. Once I begin a painting, I forget about everything else.
I consider myself a “research” artist. My concept arises from a personal experience or photo I have captured.
The concept dances in my mind for weeks as I visualize the finished painting. At this point, my leftbrain is researching the subject while my right-brain is thinking about creating the work. I study my subject from every angle and learn as much as possible about it to insure that the image will be conceptually correct. I usually redesign my painting several times. It becomes my child and Is now in my thoughts night and day.
I believe itʼs perfectly reasonable to relate a painting to a child. Admittedly, it will take more love and time to raise a child than to create a painting. But they are both original and authentic. There are times they should be allowed to run and do their own thing, and there are times they must be controlled. Eventually, they are ready for going out on their own, be it kindergarten, college, or an exhibition.
Then someone walks in and falls in love with my creation. She canʼt live without it, and wants it in her home, forever!
What? You want to BUY my painting?
Yes, parting is bittersweet. M! June/July 2014
Leave a Reply