Tuesday 16 August 2016

Why Paint? Why Not?

My art exhibition has ended. There were forty paintings. Two paintings were sold. Fortunately they were two of the more expensive paintings. I can afford more canvases and paint now. That is all that really matters.

Here is a portrait of Mia the German Shepherd I recently painted. I am quite pleased with it. Not entirely though. I never am. I once explained this lack of a satisfaction in my work to someone who asked, by telling her, if I thought my work was perfect I might give up trying. I am not sure if this was an honest answer. I have never found a reason to explain why I paint except that I enjoy it. I have heard some artists explaining their work and it almost always leaves me feeling confused.

Mia German Shepherd Bain
Oil on canvas
16in x 12in
I once painted a still life of a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine and a tin of sardines. That's all it was. A still life. Someone remarked that it reminded him of Jesus and the feeding of the five thousand. So that is what it became; an allegorical (I hope that's the right word) painting. But truthfully it really was just a still life. Others paintings I have done have also taken on a meaning only after they were finished. As far as I was concerned they were just paintings I wanted to do.

Of course I have painted scenes that meant something, such as moments from my childhood for example. But in the main, as I say, I paint because I want to paint.

This painting is the first one done on the 'new' easel I made from off-cuts and an old table. It worked well. Saved myself a lot of money too. New studio easels are expensive.


Mia is fed up with posing.













5 comments:

  1. Mia is a perfect model. The painting gives a good look deep into her eyes. How on earth did you do that?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mia does not look very comfortable on that chair. The easel is great, could you make some more and sell them? A nice little sideline.

    I read the blurb and listen to artists who explain their work, and it's all gobbldygook to me, like a foreign language. There are no deep meanings in my work, I just like the look of what I make.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like your paintings, even more so because I know you enjoy creating them.
    Love the painting of Mia.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Definitely a beautiful painting. There's a personality conveyed in that portrait. You did good!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I know the feeling of never being satisfied with your own work. I am the same with my work and Tom is always telling me I am too fussy.
    I think your paintings are wonderful so keep painting.
    Briony
    x

    ReplyDelete