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| Red Rock Beauty 18 x 18 Wrapped Canvas Available |
Everything
slows down in the summer. As
uncomfortable and even dangerous as the heat may be, the cycle of slowing down
is one I’ve always thought we should obey.
One of the
joys I have is associating art with walks and rejuvenating vacations. I
recently saw the sign, “Slow Down for Wildlife” in a county park. I know they meant it as a safety warning, but
it’s good advice for painters. When we were walking the desert paths in
Arizona, we might have missed the beautiful blooming cactus tucked in the
hillside if we’d hurried by. I’m glad we
slowed down to find this cactus I painted and named Red Rock Beauty
Slow Down to
Paint!
It seems
lately every art-related email I receive is about “speeding up”. “Quick draw” competitions and “paint-outs” are
very much promoted during this time of year. These events require artists to paint outdoors
for controlled time periods. The emphasis on painting quickly seems to be
gaining momentum as a standard for painting, emphasizing that capturing a
“singular moment in time” is superior to studio painting.—or superior to that of
developing a painting outdoors over several days. These events have many positive aspects, but
I consciously work to overcome the frenzy I feel and strive to restore the
meditative quality that is so special about developing a painting. Do I really want to paint fast? I keep reminding myself: a deliberate,
thought out stroke is preferable to three impulsive ones.
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| Industry Is Primary 8 x 8 Oil on Panel Available |
Slow Down to
Experiment!
Another joy I
have in painting is the freedom to experiment.
When I try something new, I learn things about myself. I develop a
language for expressing my experiences. After many miles of painting, my experiences
are leading me to focus and simplify, as you can see in this latest painting Industry Is Primary. I am increasingly moving toward a strong
abstract quality in my representational work.
Experimentation
demands breadth and scope. Frequently marketers
and art consultants tell artists to limit and narrow their work to a singular
medium, singular subject, singular audience, etc. If the
limitation is done too soon, it prevents an artist from developing an authentic
and personal style. In the course of investigating here and there, an artist
may, indeed, eventually come to concentrate on a single subject or medium, but
it will be “natural” (based on discovery), not engineered.
Lately I’ve been fortunate to view the works of Picasso,
Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and our native North Carolinian Claude Howell. They
all investigated different art materials and painted varied subjects; they painted both in the studio and outdoors. They traveled
and studied. I believe this is still a model for the future.
So, what will
art look like in 100 years?
Technology
will undoubtedly speed up reproduction, distribution and access. I hope there will be more profound
discoveries in chemistry and in light and color which may lead to new
pigments and materials; maybe there will be art that extends our physical and
sensory knowledge; maybe there will be more interactive art. I believe, regardless, that it will be achieved through the old model by artists who have a need to slow down and take a diverse
and creative path.
What do you
think?
A portion of my sales go to
support bee/pollinator conservation.
Why? Because I add beeswax to my
oil paints, paint and consume the beautiful flowers, fruits and vegetables that
bees and other pollinators provide.
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My paintings are available at my
studio in Cary, NC, online at Sheffield Art Studio and at my Daily PaintworksGallery (see also clickable link above right)
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