Art in the raw: an inside perspective
I should say up
front that every painting is different, and the only plan or set of
rules that I follow is: brush, paint, paper, subject (though paper
could be optional). Sometimes the process is methodical, working from
section to section bringing each part to full development right from
the start. Other times it can be more like here, where I jump around
a lot. In this particular painting, the subject I'm using (a
photograph I took the morning after camping in Sage Creek) is not
ideal. It's a spot that has meaning for me and that I wanted to
paint when I first glimpsed it. I'm having to do a lot of
considering and manipulating in the early stages, and so I did some
blocking in of areas to give myself a better visual as I worked out
what I plan to do with this one.
An integral part
of painting for me is music. Music has always been a part of my
life, beginning with my mother, a music teacher, playing piano.
Early favorites were Debussy, Mozart, Rossini. I loved waking up
saturday mornings to her playing. A fond memory from early childhood
is begging her to play the William Tell Overture while I raced around
the living room with a pillow as my horse. When I was six, I
declared myself ready to play piano in the talent show at school, and
so my mom obligingly taught me a song. Lessons started there, and
continued through high school. Along the way I picked up recorder
(soprano and alto), French Horn, Melophone, and Bagpipes. I still
play bagpipes, teaching and leading a band in my town. I also love
to sit and play piano at length, in a quiet house. Anyhow, music can
trigger some deep responses, much the same way that art can. The two
complement each other well, and I paint best when I find a composer,
album, or song that fits the story, mood, and pace of what I am
working on. The music can allow me to tap into a deeper response to
my subject, offering a rich experience that goes way beyond painting
a pretty picture. I paint places I love or feel an attachment to,
and I liken the experience to painting the portrait of a dear friend.
Beyond that, my subjects always have a story, often a very private one, and I keep the
words in my head. The story may relate to the subject
in an abstract sense, literal, or both. I deem a painting successful
if, upon viewing it, I can feel the impact of the story as if I were
reliving it. For me, this is the greatest thing in art. The artist
has something to say and expresses it. The viewer witnesses this
expression and has a response. The two may not match or even relate,
yet the impact is there. A conversation happened.
This painting of sage creek has a long way to go yet, but I will post progress along the way even after I'm back home.
This painting of sage creek has a long way to go yet, but I will post progress along the way even after I'm back home.