“One works without thinking how to work.”
-Jasper Johns
"Dynamic Voyage" 48" x 48" work on canvas
This morning I had an interesting conversation with my Twitter friend Alison Jardine. While some may think Twitter is a waist of time, I have found it to be a well of inspiration for thought, conversation and information, all with a dash of fun. Anyway, in our limited 140 character tweets Alison asked me, “what’s the prime interaction that will take place in your painting…do you not have an idea of color set or anything, is it purely ‘impulse’ as you get started?” She shared that when she starts a painting, “I have an idea of the ‘reason’ for it, in terms of what I am exploring, it keeps me on track…” While I admire her technique, it is not the approach that I take at all - I show up and conduct the players so to speak. Now, don’t get me wrong, l always have ideas, so many in fact, that I need to control them or they go mad. While yes, I may start off with a specific color set, I almost never end up where I started. My colors change often as my interaction with the painting evolves. It is building and layering process - a give and take of balance and order, chaos and control. On a daily basis I show up and work without thinking how to work, I believe in my instincts, which comes from many, many days of just showing up to work. There are infinite ways that artists approach their work, and there is no right or wrong. What is your way of working…?
“Love what you do. Believe in your instincts. And you’d better be able to pick yourself up and brush yourself off every day. While life is not always fair, it is manageable. It is a matter of attitude and confidence.”
-Mario Andretti
Painting is available.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
So different to how I work, and fascinating because of that!
I almost always work in series. The number of images is usually determined before I even begin to paint as I have by then already worked what the idea wants to say and how many images that will take. The images are usually all stacked up in my head in a loose form, waiting to get out. So then it’s just a matter of choosing the style that I want to play with, or researching and experimenting how to technically execute what I already see. Or just starting and holding what I see in my mind and letting it take over and come out.
Love this topic!
Most of my paintings begin with a word. Something I want to paint, usually a word or a emotion. The color and shape changes as I go along. Often the final work is resolved into something that is completely different than what I started with.
Other times, those lucky moments or days, the finished work just comes easily, little layering or changes. It seems to be resolved before I put any paint on canvas.
Not sure if this make sense, but I do enjoy reading how other artists works. Sometimes I use their techniques as exercises to change things up a bit for myself. For me, using the same process all the time gets boring.
my process depends on the type of art I’m working on… if I’m working on an abstract painting, the process is mostly intuitive - I rarely start with a plan but sometimes a theme. If I’m working on a flower oil painting, I start with a photo that I have taken, then draw the image is pencil or pen, then take that drawing to painting area and tape it up for reference.
I was just thinking of process yesterday and how other artists approach their work - great topic (also, I decided to video tape myself painting - very interesting.)
It is so interesting to hear the different approachs to working. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
First of all, nice to meet you! Found you through Twitter, not a waste of time! Anyway, I paint mainly representational and keep a journal of ideas. I am always excited to come into my studio and find nature especially to be my inspiration.